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It was a busy day in most parts of the country yesterday as parents and guardians made a last-minute rush to buy uniforms and other school-related materials for their children ahead of the opening of schools today.
Some shop owners took advantage of the spike in demand to increase prices of school uniforms, textbooks and stationery.
Harare central business district (CBD) was teeming with unusually high numbers of people searching for fairly priced uniforms and stationery.
Children from some boarding schools could be seen at their usual pick-up points in the city, particularly near the Zimbabwe College of Music and the open space opposite Rainbow Towers.
The section of Rotten Row between Robert Mugabe Road and Jason Moyo Avenue was virtually impassable for the better part of the morning due to congestion as parents dropped off their children.
Others could be seen escorting their children while carrying trunks and bags on their heads. Speaking to The Herald, a parent Mr Alex Nyaningwe raised concern over the high prices of uniforms and other school-related materials.
“Prices are changing regularly as retailers stock up uniforms and other school materials, leaving us parents with no choice but to buy at high prices,” he said.
“I was in the city centre before I came to drop-off my child (at the pick-up point), buying some of the stuff that I failed to buy last week.
“I was shocked to notice that retailers had doubled the prices of most of the basic goods that children in school need.
“I get here (and) the buses are expensive. Bus fare to Mhondoro-Ngezi is $65. Bus operators are not accepting mobile money payments.
“Both retailers and bus operators are taking advantage because they know either way we are going to pay, but honestly it’s not fair, things are really expensive and some of us cannot cope.”
At the pick-up points where boarders were catching their buses, parents blasted school authorities for denying pupils access to the buses if fees were not fully paid.
“When we arrived, we were told that our children will not get on the school bus if they do not have receipts to show that they have paid all their fees.
“This is an injustice given the fact that we are all facing cash problems in the country,” said one parent who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“For some of us, our salaries are low and I have more than two children going to school.
“They are demanding cash, but we all know that cash is scarce and despite having huge amounts in our EcoCash accounts, still we cannot easily cash out or even buy groceries at tuck-shops.
“The Ministry of Education needs to act now and protect us from inconsiderate school heads,” she complained.
In Bulawayo, parents were seen taking their children to the usual pick-up points.
But there were concerns as some schools were charging transport fares in foreign currency while payments in the local currency were higher to discourage use of the Zimbabwe dollar.
A survey carried out by our Bulawayo Bureau revealed that some schools continued to defy Government directives by demanding payments in forex.
Tsholotsho High School was charging a fare of R100 or $120 for a single trip.
In Masvingo, parents were also running around to finalise preparations, with most bemoaning increased prices of uniforms.
Online Reporter
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