SPARE A THOUGHT FOR ZIM’S POOR

16 Sep 2020

• Prophets, traditional healers replace doctors
• Desperate commuters walk to save time, money
• 60k students drop out of school as Govt watches

They are always last on the list!

Everything public – be it hospitals, transport, schools and even toilets are either shut down or simply in a state of disrepair.
Zimbabwe’s elite rulers are concerned only with matters that affect the rich at the expense of the vast majority, who are at the bottom rungs of society.
Nhau looks at the piling up of misery for the underprivileged and downtrodden in Zimbabwe, where the sick are resorting to prophets and traditional healers as public health institutions have collapsed; children have been out of school for months, their parents or guardians too poor to afford online lessons and travellers walk long distances or wait for hours on end just to catch a bus as kombis remain banned.
On the other hand, the rich get richer, private doctors and private tutors are on their beck and call, and ever since the lockdown began their cars never stopped moving.

60k students set to drop out of school
According to a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) report, about 20 400 pupils in Zimbabwe dropped out of primary school in 2018 due to financial constraints.
These figures are expected to triple due to the coronavirus effect. Exact figures have not yet been unveiled but economic hardships brought about by the Covid-19 national lockdown have exacerbated the situation of the already hard-pressed.
Thus, it is expected that over 60 000 students will drop out of schools for good this year as the restart, for public education, begins on September 28.
On the other hand, those with the money have not missed a day of school since the lockdown began even though it does not come cheap.
Private schools are indexing their fees to the US dollar to insulate against soaring expenses.
Some schools are demanding between US$800 and US$2 000. St George’s College, is demanding US$1 850 for learners enrolled for secondary school, while its primary school — Hartmann House — wants between US$930 and US$1 335 for the new term.
At black market rates, these amounts range between ZWL93 000 and ZWL180 000. The auction system, where the official exchange rate of 1:81 are found is a no-go area for individuals. Only small to medium enterprises and large corporates with adequate import and export paperwork are entertained.

So, where do the poor fit in?
Besides the fees, which has ensured that only those with money enjoy online classes while their counterparts on the wrong side of town entertain themselves on dusty and sewage-flowing streets, there are no mechanisms for protection against Covid-19 for the poor.
In order to have sanitisers and other personal protective equipment, public schools are begging Government for much-needed subsidies and to be allowed to increase fees, which will further disadvantage poor parents who cannot afford the little being charged now.
“Government subsidy to schools is required as fees collected from Form Fours and Sixes only would be grossly inadequate to meet all school costs which include water, electricity, salaries of SDA or SDC workers, communication systems, fuel, vehicle insurance policies, and other essential services. Schools are already in the red and staring at huge debts hence need for a bail out,” said the National Association of Secondary Heads last week.
On the other hand, private schools have resources to test everyone.
Ms Loice Magweba, the secretary-general of the Private Schools Association of Zimbabwe told State media last week that: “All teaching and ancillary staff as well students at schools should be tested.”
Even if the poor could sacrifice and raise some of the sums mentioned above, what would they prioritise, food and shelter or an education? Food for thought.