Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
SOME learners failed to go back to school after Covid-19-induced lockdowns due to financial constraints, a survey from the Zimbabwe Statistical Agency has shown.
The “Monitoring Covid-19 Impact on Households in Zimbabwe” telephone survey reveals that only 25 percent of parents and guardians managed to pay school fees for learners during the third term last year.
It also shows that nationally, 79 percent of the children in households communicated with their teachers, whilst 24 percent completed assignments from teachers.
“The results of the survey indicated that nationally, 92 percent of school-age children were attending school since schools had opened during the third term.
“Almost everyone who was attending school was doing so in person. Financial constraints was the main reason keeping children out of school,” reads the survey report.
“During the same period, 26 percent of the households paid fees in full, whilst 52 percent paid school fees in part.
“The remaining 22 percent made other arrangements to pay school fees. In urban areas, 50 percent of households paid school fees in part, compared to 53 percent in rural households.”
Furthermore, the report shows that 28 percent of the households in urban areas completed assignments from teachers, compared to 21 percent in rural areas.
Another nine percent of national households reported that their children completed assignments from parents, compared to 12 percent in urban areas.
“During the sixth-round survey held from 12 September to 23 October 2021, the percentage of respondents who avoided gatherings dropped to 50 percent from 52 percent in round five at national level.
“Nationally, the proportion of households wearing masks rose to 57 percent up from 53 percent in round,” read the report.
“The wearing of masks in urban areas dropped from 81 percent in round five, to 66 percent in round six. In rural areas wearing masks increased from 43 percent to 52 percent,” said Zimstat.
“Nationally, the proportion of people washing hands after being in public increased from 40 percent to 45 percent in the sixth round. In urban areas, washing of hands increased marginally from 42 percent in the fifth round, to 46 percent in the sixth round.” – @thamamoe
Online Reporter