The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has urged parents to make informed decisions when choosing schools for their children, warning that some enrolment choices are undermining the quality of education.
Speaking at a policy dialogue on strengthening education safety nets through transparency and accountability in Bulawayo on Thursday, Bulawayo Deputy Director for Primary and Secondary Education Fundirai Fundani said many parents were withdrawing their children from government schools and enrolling them in unregistered or poorly equipped private schools.
The dialogue, hosted by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ), brought together parents, School Development Committee (SDC) members, civil society organisations and ministry officials.
“You will find that at times our parents make decisions that we cannot go against,” Fundani said.
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“I will just give an example of a parent who chooses to take their child out of a government school and enrol them in these mushrooming crowded schools, where you find the whole school, from ECD up to Form Six, operating in just two rooms.”
She said the trend was affecting enrolment at public schools, including boarding schools.
“This development has left our facilities without learners, including boarding schools. It really calls on us to conscientise these parents about what they are doing,” Fundani said.
“Certain choices they are making are not the best, although I really do not know how they arrive at those decisions.”
Fundani also expressed concern about parents using false residential addresses to secure places for their children at schools perceived to perform better.
“You also find that at times our parents use the wrong address to access quality schools. They use a false address so their children can attend those schools, disadvantaging the learners because they have to board two kombis every day while leaving a school that is just next to their residence,” she said.
She urged communities to engage parents on the importance of making decisions that put children’s welfare and education first.
“I am appealing that whenever we have opportunities to discuss with parents, neighbours and communities, we should talk about these issues because parents need assistance in many areas where they make choices that may eventually backfire on their children,” Fundani said.
“Imagine what is happening in those two-room schools where learners from ECD up to Form Six are all accommodated together. Are they really learning? Parents may be attracted by lower fees, but the cheap option they seek may compromise the quality of education their children receive.”
The policy dialogue focused on strengthening education safety nets through greater transparency, accountability and community participation, with stakeholders discussing barriers to quality education and the role communities can play in improving learning outcomes.
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