adminTODAY, most schools in Zimbabwe mark the beginning of the second term.
It’s a challenging term, which coincides with the winter season.
As such, the term comes with its own demands, which require parents or guardians to play their part.
One of the biggest challenge, faced by the parents, is to secure winter uniforms, which are now quite expensive.
With most parents struggling to make ends meet, it now requires more effort for them to ensure that they provide every-thing, which their kids require, for their term’s needs.
The just-ended holiday was eventful as it coincided with the Easter holidays, Independence Day celebrations and, of course, the Workers Day celebrations.
A number of parents and guardians were forced to spend a lot, during the holidays, to meet the demands of their children.
However, we warned parents in March, when the schools closed, that they needed to plan for the second term, to avoid the last-minute challenges.
Those who failed to plan are now struggling to find ways of how they can save themselves.
It’s sad that some of the students will miss the beginning of the second term as their parents still have some outstanding fees or levies which have to be settled first.
Parents or guardians who prioritised the welfare of their children during the holidays are not scratching their heads looking for money to ensure that all the requirements are met.
Those who didn’t are now regretting and find themselves with all sorts of problems to resolve.
However, there are some who genuinely failed to save money in preparation for the second term due to a number of rea-sons.
Some just didn’t have the money while, for some, other emergencies, which they had not planned for, disrupted all their plans.
Schools must come up with payment plans to assist parents who are failing to settle their arrears.
Children should not suffer because some of the parents are poor.
School authorities should also consider the plight of parents who are struggling to pay their school fees on time due to a number of challenges.
With most people in the formal sector now doing other side hustles, parents should not lay all their eggs in one basket.
It’s high time that parents or guardians think outside the box and devise other means of raising money.
A lot of people in the informal sector are now living comfortable lives, which then shows that it’s not just the glamourous jobs, which can make a difference.
A number of people are now surviving from jobs that used to be despised over the years.
A real parent should learn to work hard and do anything that can bring money on the table, as long as that hustle is legal.
As parents, we should always learn to invest in our children’s education and try as much as we can to give them a bright future.
Online Reporter