By 
Some schools in Bulawayo are demanding money from parents and guardians of students to buy masks and sanitizers, even though it is against what government has declared.
.
According to reports, schools like Petra High, Christian Brothers College, Coughlan Primary and Mshede Primary are demanding 100 rand to 200 rands from parents.
The use of the money is however not clear as it is not receipted but paid directly to the class teachers who in turn bought these masks and sanitizers from unknown suppliers
In September, government began a phased re-opening of schools, it was announced that ZWL$600 million was released to cater for personal protective equipments (PPE) for both students and teachers but however teachers argue that such amount was not released.
Commenting on the move by teachers, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general, Raymond Majongwe said these schools are charging such amounts for the sake of protecting children as government has failed.
“As far as we are concerned schools are following what has to be done and we can’t blame the schools because they have to make sure that kids are safe, but at the same time we can’t pass the buck to parents because government had told us that it had provided.”
Majongwe further added that government has lied on telling the nation that it has released money for PPE.
“It goes back to the argument that the government was telling the nation that it has ZWL$600 million and the question is; where is the ZWL$600 million? Will they point, indicate a paper trail of what they are talking about, sanitizers, masks and provisions of water and any other provisions stipulated by WHO.
Bulawayo is currently a hotspot for Covid-19 hotspot in the country, with almost 300 students tested positive for the pandemic since schools were reopened.
Comments