The Sunday Mail
Harmony Agere
When the El Nino-induced drought, arguably Zimbabwe’s worst in 35 years, struck in the 2015-2016 rainfall season, it left behind unbearable social and economic impact. Among those affected were school children in rural areas, particularly in the Lowveld, as many of them have had to bear the hardship of learning on an empty stomach. As such, many, especially those who come from poor backgrounds, started dropping out of school.
In Matebeleland North alone, over 6 000 children had already dropped out of school by the beginning of the year as effects of the drought crept in. Government had predicted such a development and re-introduced the schools feeding programme, this time at a national level. The programme was earmarked to start in May with a budget of $200 million per term.
It’s target was about four million infant, junior and secondary students from across the country. The plan was to address issues related to food security, improved learner nutrition, higher completion levels in schools and reduced drop-outs.
However, almost three months after the programme started, there are claims that it is yet to take off in some schools, particularly in the rural areas. According to Matebeleland South provincial education director, Tumisang Thabela, only 44 out of the 499 schools on the programme have started feeding pupils.
It is also said that most schools are failing to transport the grain from the depots. According to Refugees International in Matebeleland North, the school feeding programme is struggling to get off the ground due to lack of funds.
“More children are being pulled from school in order to help find food, fetch increasingly scarce water, or engage in labour. Meanwhile, the school feeding programme is struggling to get off the ground due to lack of funds and organisational capacity.”
President of the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Mr Orbert Masaraure, said the programme had not reached the bulk of schools in the rural areas, adding that rural schools should be given priority.
“In most areas, the programme has not started. lt is yet to reach the bulk of the schools and the crisis is there, it is real. We have a case in Matebeleland North where a teacher says out of 40 students, only 27 are coming to school.”
Experts are in agreement that at the moment, Government should concentrate on the rural schools that are the are the most disadvantaged.
Education expert, Dr Peter Kwaira, said while it is good to carry out the project on a national level, Government should identify areas of real need to avoid being wasteful. “I think it is a timeous programme because we are going through a drought period. But we should try to find where the need is so that we are not wasteful.
“It is in the rural areas where the real problem is, some of us have been doing researches and have realised that many of the children in rural areas are coming to school before meal time. So it becomes very difficult for both the learner and teacher to conduct a proper lesson.”
Progress Teachers Association of Zimbabwe president, Dr Takavafira Zhou, called for a clearer implementation plan. “It’s about how we structure and package the programme so that those who have the money can support,” he said.
“Some donours might be willing to assist but obviously they can only do so when it is clear who will be monitoring what,” said Dr Zhou. Last week, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango, said indications are that the programme is going well.
“We have committees that specifically deal with schools feeding right from the national level to the communities and the feedback that we are receiving is that things are going well,” she said.
“I am just coming from a multi-stakeholders meeting where I presented statistics on each province and district in terms of the grain that they have been receiving from Government.” However, Dr Utete-Masango would not disclose the statistics.
According to research done by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the current estimated cost of feeding a learner is 0,25c per meal. This translates to about $47,50 per learner per annual school days (190).
For the four million pupils, about $199 million is needed per term.
