The ManicaPost
WITH the festive season almost getting into the rear view mirror, parents and guardians as well as their children and learning institutions are bracing up for the traditional rite of preparing to get back to school.
While this routine has mostly posed serious headaches for the former — given that it kicks in on the back of the merriment of the Christmas and New Year holidays — the need to adequately prepare for it can never be over-emphasised.
“Back to school” preparations are already beckoning on the horizon as schools are set to open barely 10 days from now — Monday, January 8 (boarding schools) — for the first term of 2024.
This term is particularly different from others in that learners will be getting into new grades and this means that new sets of books (both text and exercise) will be required and probably new sets of uniforms as well.
Such requisite requirements — including tuck and, of course, the fees — must all be in place.
The intervening period between now and schools opening should be optimum time to get things in order and done.
This helps in avoiding the last-minute rush when bookshops, school uniform merchants and those in the education-related enterprises will be seeking to smile all the way to the bank by cashing in on the brisk business that is likely to come with the ‘back to school’ craze.
It is imperative that schools have a smooth opening to the first term without any administrative and other related glitches.
This will ensure that there is a disruption-free school calendar.
Schools, teachers and learners must be ready when the bell goes to begin lessons for the new term.
As a result, learners can start school on their best foot forward.
Laying a solid foundation for the remainder of the academic year is of paramount importance and it all starts with a flawless first term.
We trust that virtually all parents and guardians have by now paid the fees in full for their children because that money replenishes the schools’ coffers and give learning institutions the wherewithal they need to sustain critical operations over the duration of the term and beyond.
For their part, schools must not rip off desperate parents and guardians seeking enrolment placement for their children.
Fees must also not be hiked unilaterally without Government approval and consulting the parents first.
The Primary and Secondary Education Ministry has already warned against this, reminding schools to levy only fees approved by Government.
The ministry has been on record as saying it is illegal for schools to insist that parents and guardians buy uniforms from the learning institutions or other specified suppliers as long as the alternatives meet the quality or standards set by the schools.
Parents and guardians were urged to reports such errant behaviour by the schools and their heads so that appropriate and corrective action is taken.
Learning institutions must adhere to and uphold Government’s national agenda of providing quality, inclusive, equitable and affordable education for all so that no on and no place is left behind.
To that end, Government is meeting its end of the bargain by ensuring that teachers are well remunerated to keep them motivated and keep the education sector robust so that it continues scoring high grades that can contribute to national development and transformation.
President Mnangagwa’s administration continues to give priority to education as it is one of the key pillars the country is capacitating to produce future generations competent of fostering economic growth and sustaining an empowered and prosperous upper middle income society through Vision 2030.
