Sundaymail Editor
MANY moons ago, I used to wonder why my divorced co-tenant always played hide-and-seek with his ex-wife and daughter.
No week passed without the two knocking irritatingly on his door during witching hours, though their efforts always drew blanks.
I had even grown accustomed of telling them that he was away.
Surprisingly, he never bothered to find out the reason behind the frantic search.
“Hey, Lincoln is not around. Can I be of any help?” I would always ask before the two vanished into darkness.
After some time, the ex-wife came with a police officer to try to have Lincoln arrested for failure to pay fees and/or maintain his daughter.
Sadly, such struggles were not confined to my co-tenant.
There are countless estranged couples and those still living under the same roof who are always on each other’s necks because of issues related to school fees and other expenses.
People are often treated to free drama in communities as couples quarrel over fees and their children’s upkeep.
“Why did you decide to have a child when you knew you were a deadbeat? Kana wakaomera unoitirei vana vacho? This child deserves to be in school just like everyone else of her age. Make a plan,” you hear women shouting without caring about who will be within earshot.
Other couples go to the extent of trading unprintable words or hiring thugs to induce payment of fees or child support.
Out of desperation, some women approach their husband’s employers seeking assistance, while others seek legal recourse.
“I am Mr Moyo’s former wife and we have a daughter together. He has not been paying fees for a very long time and this is affecting me and the child. As I speak, the child has not been doing anything school-related and I do not know where to start from when schools reopen. Please deduct his salary so that he pays his dues,” one lady told this writer straight in the eye.
Gentle reader, the moment school opening dates are announced, responsible parents go out of their way to ensure they provide all essentials for their children.
However, this is not the case in some families.
For some characters, sending children to school is tough as they cannot afford it.
When selecting schools, some people do so to fix their former partners.
They choose expensive schools to price them out, which is often to the child’s disadvantage.
Some parents also choose expensive schools where their children have to commute daily just to show their peers they have the financial muscle.
Sadly, this often backfires spectacularly.
This may be the reason why some learners struggle to get transport.
“People must send their children to schools they can afford. Zora mafuta anodairana neganda rako. You must do things that are within your means. Why do things that you cannot afford? Mango unotemha dzaunosvikira,” one guzzler told me during a recent beer drink.
He said schools had zonal systems which ensured children enrolled at institutions near their homes, but these were often circumvented for selfish reasons.
“Schools have zones. Why go away from your zone? We have doctors who attended schools in Glen Norah and beggars who attended the most expensive schools. The curriculum is the same and children pass because they concentrate, not because they wear expensive uniforms,” he added.
Most affected, he said, were young parents who were excited about sending children to secondary schools.
“Boarding schools, private schools, trust schools are all good but they have their target market. Why look for a school that takes away all your income and leaves you screaming? Do not do things to be seen. Be pragmatic,” Mrs Fortunate Pangeti, a florist, said.
She said what was critical was to put a child in a school one could afford and produce good grades.
The issue of selecting schools for our children is emotive, but to avoid discomfort, let’s keep within our means.
Inotambika mughetto.
Online Reporter