JUST IN: Bailout parents on fees post covid19, Govt urged

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge proportional representation legislator, Ms Lisa Singo has called on the Government to consider coming with strategies that will minimize challenges parents would face in sending children to school after the lockdown and war against covid19.

She says in some cases those people especially women who head many families and are in the informal sector have their economies affected by the lockdown period.

Ms Singo said while some were still able to trade under tight timetables some will take time to recover financially.

The legislator said it is important for the Government to consider carrying the burden of a certain percentage of tuition fees or come up with instruments that allow parents to make part payments of fees for their children.

She added that it was very commendable that a number of measures are being rolled out to minimize the spread of the pandemic.

“You will note that most people are informally employed and the majority are women and in some cases, we have women carrying the larger social burden of fending for children and also investing in their education,” said Ms Singo.

“As it stands some parents, mainly without formal jobs will have challenges sending their children to school.

“The hardest hit will be those in boarding, where food stocks are not usually enough due to the obtaining economic climate and they have to carry supplementary food.

“My appeal as a community leader, is for the Government to come up with a workable way to cushion parents from these hardships”.

She added; “For instance, they may allow the pupils into class with parents being offered to make part payments to the schools to ensure they remain viable.

“The other option will be the government carrying up a certain percentage of school fees on behalf of parents”.

The legislator said there were also obtaining challenges relating to access to basic food items in rural areas.

She said it would be prudent for retailers and other big players to consider the plight of rural communities.

Ms Singo said there is also a strong need for the Government to scale up efforts to bail out those in the informal sector with startup capitals to restock post the lockdown and covid19 period.

“We commend the Government on the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.

“However, we need to continue emphasizing to people in our communities that we need to collaborate efforts to achieve more,” she said.