Zim’s School Feeding Program Feeds Families Beyond Classroom

By Shingirai Vambe

While it’s every child’s right to go to school, right to education, health, food and shelter can never be emphasized but she said, going to school knowing her mom will be going for panning will be an unfair thing as the proceeds from those few ounces of gold benefit the whole family.

Seeing her at around 13:30pm, walking with a small yellow bucket, with left over porridge inside, asked, where she was going? Tariro Chikara (not her real name) she replies without hesitation that she is heading home.

When asked about her future aspirations, Tariro confidently states that she wants to be a nurse or teacher, so she can help her local community. What is inside this small bucket Tari? she paused, then laughed, its my little sister’s porridge i got from school,” she answered.

A recent report by a local newspaper stated that 48,000 https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestandard.co.zw%2Fnews%2Farticle%2F200041771%2F48-000-children-drop-out-of-school%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExejR4M2NBTVA3aVBrR09qVgEeFdlB5G1-JmVC92Uq2zoV99QndC4GmgREoggj-AEFuC_ZX6w2In0Rtgx71cw_aem_N8I9tPr53EhaM6J4TJsyBw&h=AT0q_v4nMCfMgwdAHsy-_xOqvhpppYOp3CbtmTzbqFYjJPFLgpG2YQLnQAhJWWBbtx9RrelJGKNQo2ZnzUGDNdufT4N2IWdJKI5U8hXwU4PiDEQWnNHkO-Y0v4sJQIsBWppkH4uAkmKr25nT&__tn__=-UK*F school-going children dropped out of school in 2024. However, this number seems to be a mere drop in the ocean, with many more cases going unreported. In reality, the number of out-of-school children in Zimbabwe is likely much higher, with many children forced to prioritize survival over education.

In the rural areas of Makoni North, a border village of Mashonaland East, Mutoko, children like Tariro are struggling to access education.

Tariro, a grade 5 pupil at Nyamuronda Primary School, narrates her daily life, where she often absconds from school to accompany her mother to the nearby river for gold panning. The proceeds from these few ounces of gold benefit the whole family, making it impossible for Tariro to attend school without feeling guilty.

The impact of climate change has been felt in parts of Makoni North, where erratic rainfall patterns have affected agricultural productivity. Many families have been forced to diversify their income streams, with some resorting to gold panning and other informal activities. For Tariro, this means missing school to help her mother put food on the table.

Tariro’s story is heartbreaking. She walks from school with a small yellow bucket containing leftover porridge, which she collects from the school as part of the Government feeding program initiatives.

However, the reality is stark. Tariro’s family struggles to access basic necessities, including food and clothing. Her father left the family some time ago, crossing the border to Mozambique in search of better opportunities. Her mother, Pedzisai, is left to fend for the family, often going to the nearest business center to trade whatever she can find in exchange for clothes and food.

This scenario is not unique to Makoni North. Border districts like Chipinge, Binga, Tsholotsho, Plumtree, Mt Darwin, Mutoko, Nyanga, and Makoni are experiencing a similar crisis. Many school-going children in these areas are crossing into neighboring countries like Mozambique, South Africa, and Botswana, where they engage in begging, vending, and general work in people’s houses and industries.

The economic meltdown in Zimbabwe has had a devastating impact on the education system. The government’s failure to prioritize education and provide adequate funding has created a bottleneck in the system. Schools in rural areas are understaffed, and many teachers are underqualified. The lack of resources and infrastructure has made it impossible for children to access quality education.

Tariro further explained that there are times they go for days without a proper meal, hence the reason why she fail to attend school at time, it’s due to hunger. speaking with one of the teachers at the school, she told the Post on Sunday that the situation is dire, worse with few teachers at a school with an enrolment of between 250 and 300.

The Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) program, which was designed to support vulnerable children, has been strained due to lack of funding, having gone for 3 years now without being paid. Many schools are struggling to make ends meet, and the situation is dire. Children are forced to drop out of school due to poverty, hunger, and lack of access to basic necessities.

The lady teacher verified that children now attend school only when they can, while some have opted to stop attending classes altogether.

According to Ngonidzashe Chitura, a teacher at the school (who wishes to remain anonymous), some students have parents and relatives residing in Harare or neighboring countries who struggle to pay their school fee of USD$30, which increased from USD$20 this year.

“Parents are requesting that the school add their children to the BEAM list, which had 53 students initially, down from 90 last year due to the government’s inability to pay BEAM fees, severely straining the school’s daily operations amidst inadequate funding for education,” Chitura explained.

“It’s true that some students miss classes due to hunger,” he added. “Out of six schools in Makoni North and South, our school was fortunate enough to receive food aid from Caritas.”

The government’s inaction has led to a situation where children are forced to fend for themselves, often at the expense of their education. The consequences of this neglect will be felt for generations to come. The country needs to prioritize education and provide adequate funding to schools, especially in rural areas.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) leader, Obert Masaraure confirmed with this publication that rural teachers are suffering while school going Children are not being prioritized.

“we have been conducting a survey in rural schools and we noted that some food provision disappear before getting to intend schools. All children should benefit at least 0.50c per leaner per day, the ongoing educational genocide by Government has resulted in 3 million potential leaners dropping out and never sitting at any classroom desk,” added Masaraure.

“Government should urgently address food, sanitary wear and affordable/free education structure to address the economic challenges facing the country. The lack of job opportunities, poverty, and hunger are driving children out of school and into the informal sector. The government needs to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, which will help to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. We have a crisis in our rural schools, those who are still there have passion for their work and they must be rewarded”.

“The best way to deal with this is to introduce an incentive, a hardship allowance, to motivate rural teachers otherwise the pass rate will remain very low and 0% pass rate will be a consistent feature, we need political will and policy position of leaving no one and no place behind. We gave a recommendations after our survey, Government must and should introduce education equalization fund to connect the unconnected,” said Masaraure.

He also commented on the ongoing crisis at the University of Zimbabwe and said, “the solution is not to suspend lecturers and arresting students, it’s criminal and cruel, violating labour rights by slashing salaries from USD$ 540 to USD$230, there is need to engage in genuine collective bargaining,” urged Masaraure.