Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Sunday News Reporter
FOR many families in Gwanda North Constituency, paying school fees has become an uphill battle after years of drought and livestock losses left households struggling to make ends meet.
The result has been heart-breaking for many communities with children dropping out of school, girls becoming vulnerable to early pregnancies and some youngsters turning to drug and substance abuse.
Determined to reverse the trend, community leaders, traditional chiefs, School Development Committees (SDCs) and local businessman and Zanu-PF shadow MP Cde Lungisani Ncube have joined hands to ensure that vulnerable children remain in school.
Under an initiative being implemented across all 58 primary schools in the constituency, Cde Ncube has launched an education bursary scheme where each school receives R20 000 towards payment of school fees for vulnerable learners.
The programme targets orphans, children with disabilities and learners from poverty-stricken households.
Traditional leaders working with SDCs have also embarked on an exercise to identify children who are out of school and find ways of returning them to the classroom.
In addition, schools are receiving mealie-meal and cooking oil to strengthen school feeding programmes and improve learner welfare.
Speaking during a ceremony to hand over bursary funds to four primary schools in Ward 7 on Wednesday, Cde Ncube said communities have a collective responsibility to ensure that children stay in school.
Maphane, Simbumbumbu, Mawanke and Sitezi primary schools each received R20 000.
“We can’t have a situation where children are dropping out of school because of non-payment of school fees. I believe
that working collectively there is a lot that we can do to fight this challenge,” he said.
“A number of children are not going to school because their parents and guardians cannot afford to pay school fees. Most villagers lost their cattle to drought and are still trying to recover.
“That is why I have introduced this education fund where I am giving out R20 000 to each school towards payment of school fees. As a businessman who is into mining, I have taken heed of the call by His Excellency President
Mnangagwa for us to plough back to the community,” said Cde Ncube.
He urged fellow businesspeople, especially those in the mining sector, to contribute towards community development and support education.
Cde Ncube said primary education was critical because it laid the foundation for a child’s future and learners should progress through this stage without disruption.
Apart from the bursary scheme, he has also supported schools through construction and rehabilitation of classroom blocks, provision of stationery and furniture, and development of school infrastructure.
Mawanke Primary School SDC chairperson Ms Sibongile Mbangeni welcomed the intervention, saying it would improve operations at the school and help keep children in class.
“A school cannot function properly if learners do not attend school or fail to pay their fees. Many guardians are struggling financially and this support will go a long way,” she said.
Ms Mbangeni warned that school dropouts expose children to numerous social challenges.
“Dropping out of school has serious consequences as girls can fall pregnant and youngsters can engage in drug and substance abuse or other criminal activities. We have children at primary school level who are now engaging in these immoral activities,” she said.
Maphane One village head Mr Mazinyane Mlotshwa also expressed gratitude for the initiative, saying education remained the key to transforming communities.
“Children dropping out of school because of financial challenges is a serious problem in our area and this intervention will go a long way in addressing it,” he said.
“It is important for children to attend school because they are the future of our community. As parents and guardians, we must also play our part by paying school fees whenever we can and contributing towards the development of our schools.”
