25 percent of Matabeleland South children not attending school due to financial challenges: ZimLAC Report
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A TOTAL of 25 percent of school-going children in Matabeleland South Province are not attending school, primarily due to financial constraints, according to the 2024 Zimbabwe Livelihood Assessment Committee (Zimlac) findings.
The report highlights that Mangwe District has the highest proportion of children not in school, followed by Matobo and Bulilima districts, each at 26 percent. Insiza District has 25 percent, Beitbridge 24 percent and Umzingwane 22 percent. Gwanda District recorded the lowest number of out-of-school children, with 20 percent.
In addition to financial challenges, other reasons for school absenteeism include pregnancy, marriage, or children being considered too young for school. The report also noted that only 10,3 percent of learners receive a hot meal at home.
Zimlac has launched dissemination meetings to present these findings and gather community feedback on interventions addressing food and nutrition insecurity. The exercise involves Government officials, development partners, chiefs, village heads, and other stakeholders.
Speaking during the Matabeleland South dissemination meeting on Friday, Ms Yvonne Mavunga, the Food and Nutrition Council director for programmes, emphasised the need for greater support for children facing financial hardships.
“Approximately 25,1 percent of school-going age were not in school. The main reason reported is financial challenges. The proportion of children who received a hot meal at school was 10,3 percent,” she said.
Ms Mavunga stressed the importance of expanding social safety nets, such as the education assistance programme and the school feeding programme, which should target the most vulnerable households.
She also suggested that ministries responsible for education and agriculture advocate for a waiver on procuring local food from small-scale farmers to support the home-grown school feeding programme.
“In addition, the programmes should target the most vulnerable households so that the Sustainable Development Goal target 4.1 is achieved. There is a need for the ministries responsible for education and agriculture to also advocate for a waiver for the procurement of local foods from small-scale farmers,” said Ms Mavunga.
The report further recommended that schools with reliable water sources continue to receive support for nutrition gardens to sustain feeding programmes.
During the meeting, stakeholders from Matabeleland South called for an expansion of the Basic Education Assistance Module (Beam) to cover more than just school fees, noting that children also need assistance with uniforms, toiletries and food.
The 2024 Zimlac Rural Livelihoods Assessment was conducted amid the 2023/2024 El Niño-induced drought, which has heightened food insecurity across the region. The report estimates that at least six million people across the country are likely to face food shortages due to the drought.
Data from the Zimlac assessments will be crucial in shaping comprehensive food and nutrition programmes aimed at leaving no one and no place behind. — @DubeMatutu
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