The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
THE Covid-19 lockdown is negatively affecting the operations of School Development Committees as they are struggling to finance their operational expenses that include salaries, water and electricity bills.
This has brought to the fore the need for school to always have profit-making projects and disaster risk reduction strategies to mitigate their vulnerability levels.
The second term was supposed to begin this week, but President Mnangagwa deferred schools’ opening as prevailing conditions are not yet conducive for a safe learning environment. When they finally open, schools will require adequate infrastructure to accommodate learners in line with physical distancing. Both teachers and learners will need to have personal protective equipment.
Zimbabwe School Development Committees (ZCDC) secretary-general, Mr Everisto Jongwe said schools should mitigate parents’ incapacity to pay levies through sustainable projects.
“Schools should behave like business entities with a going-concern. They must initiate profit-making projects like horticulture, fishery or apiculture to augment levies. The Covid-19 outbreak is a natural disaster warranting disaster risk reduction strategies to mitigate future impacts and vulnerability levels,” he said.
Mr Jongwe said schools should do away with the “business as usual mentality” since learners are losing out in terms of learning. He said should devise strategies to ensure that learners continue with their lessons from home.
“No casual approach to this pandemic can be entertained. They should initiate online or WhatsApp group discussions. The only problem is that parents and schools should avail smartphones or computers to learners and teachers. Data costs are prohibitive,” he said.
“Boarding facilities should be fumigated and sleeping space re-designed, including ventilation improvement, before opening. Sitting arrangements in dining halls should be re-designed while meals can be staggered.
“Construction of infrastructure to ensure physical distancing during learning should be done before re-opening. Schools should quickly mobilise resources from parents, old students associations, development partners and ministries mandated to provide social support services.
“The current pupil-teacher ratios are very high and re-scheduling them to meet Covid-19 physical distancing means one class might be divided into three.
“This also means teachers might demand extra incentives. So to prepare for effective teaching and learning, schools and parents should not take a passive and back-seat approach. They should lobby Government to act in tandem with reality,” said Mr Jongwe.
John Cowie School head, Mr Garikai Nyawo said financial incapacitation of parents during and post Covid-19 is certain, adding that proactive strategies should be put in place to mitigate the impact.
“Some of the strategies could include reduction of operating budgets by slashing non-core activities like club tours, inauguration of perfects, purchase of executive machinery and equipment, lavish conferences and payment of hefty allowances. In fact, all expenses that are not centred on the students are not a priority.
“On the other hand, learners should be taught to manage their own resources, including furniture, textbooks, water and electricity,” said Mr Nyawo.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Ambassador Cain Mathema told our sister publication, The Sunday Mail, that schools should strictly adhere to the lockdown regulations.
“I must warn them that I will not hesitate to de-register those out of line. We need as many schools open as possible when the time comes, regulations must be adhered to.
“Some schools even have the guts to charge in US dollars, openly, in broad daylight — we are saying that is not good. It must stop!”
