One in four children in Matabeleland North not in school due to financial and social challenge

A QUARTER of school-age children in Matabeleland North province are not attending school due to a range of factors, including poverty, early pregnancy and marriage, and cultural beliefs around schooling.

This is the second-highest figure in the country, with Mashonaland West Province reporting the highest at 25,8 percent followed by Matabeleland South at 25,1 percent and Masvingo Province at 19,5 percent.

The national figure stands at 22.3 percent.

The Zimbabwe Livelihood Assessment Committee (ZimLAC)’s 2024 report identifies financial difficulties as the main barrier to education in Matabeleland North, with 10,3 percent of children impacted.

At a brief ZimLAC findings dissemination event for district heads of departments and other stakeholders held at Mhlahlandlela Government Offices recently, Food and Nutrition Council (FNC) deputy director responsible for assessment, research, and targeted evaluation, Innocent Mangwiro, highlighted disparities between districts.

Mangwiro said Bubi District has the highest percentage of children not attending school at 29 percent, followed by Umguza District at 28,3 percent, Hwange District (27,5 percent), Tsholotsho (26,4 percent), while Nkayi (22,6 percent) and Lupane (22,3 percent).

“Binga District has the lowest percentage of school-age children not attending at 22,2 percent,” said Mangwiro.

The report reveals that 39 percent of children in the province were sent away from school due to non-payment of school fees, with Binga having the highest percentage at 70 percent.

It is followed by Tsholotsho and Umguza at 45 percent and 43 percent respectively, with Bubi at 29 percent, Hwange (24 percent), and Nkayi (22 percent).

Additionally, 29,8 percent of school-going children in the province receive hot meals at school, compared to a national figure of just 7,5 percent.

Mangwiro said Tsholotsho tops the list at 56,1 percent, followed by Bubi at 54,6 percent, with Umguza third at 48,6 percent and Binga at 33,1 percent.

“Lupane, Hwange, and Nkayi districts are all below 10 percent, bringing the provincial figure of children receiving hot meals at school to 29,8 percent against a national figure of just 7,5 percent,” said Mangwiro.

Mangwiro stressed the importance of such assessments in helping the Government and its agencies plan and address issues such as water, sanitation, health and education.

“Our main objective is to provide a food security picture of the country. We reported on the situation in Matabeleland North, noting that the province had issues with water, sanitation, and health (WASH), as well as children not attending school or being sent away due to non-payment of fees,” said Mangwiro.

The ZimLAC is a consortium of Government, development partners, United Nations, NGOs, technical agencies, and academia, chaired by the FNC, which has a mandate to promote a multi-sectoral response to food insecurity and malnutrition in Zimbabwe.