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Stephen Mpofu

PARENTS who celebrated and spent foreign currency, especially the United States dollar, are now facing the same frustrations as motorists, as their children are turned away from schools that refuse to accept the local currency, the Zig. This situation has prompted the Government to not only urge school heads to cease unethical practices, such as demanding full fees in foreign currency, turning away students for non-payment, and soliciting bribes for student placements, but also to take punitive measures against those who ignore the Government’s directive.

Zimbabwe still allows the use of multiple currencies, which means that pupils whose parents or guardians do not have access to foreign currency should not be denied the opportunity to pursue an education that prepares them to play an important role in both their economic and social development, as well as that of our motherland.

It is clearly discriminatory for schools to deprive children of their right to education simply because their parents or guardians do not possess foreign currency. The coexistence of the Zig and other foreign currencies suggests that all school-going children and future leaders or developers of our motherland should enjoy the same educational opportunities, regardless of the currency their parents or guardians use to pay fees.

In fact, the Government’s warning against fee discrimination by schools should be accompanied by the closure or other severe punitive measures against schools that reject local currency for reasons best known to themselves. If some local suppliers of school necessities demand payment only in foreign currency, as some fuel suppliers reportedly do, then they too deserve criticism, as such practices are un-Zimbabwean.

A recent report by a local radio station indicated that motorists in some urban centres had grounded their vehicles and were stranded because some fuel stations demanded payment in foreign currency instead of the Zig. The affected motorists undoubtedly blame not only the service stations demanding foreign currency for fuel but also the Government for not protecting the motoring public against discrimination by foreign currency-biased fuel dealers. These dealers might be joined by other garages upon realising the bias in favour of foreign currency by their counterparts.

This issue must be addressed promptly to ensure our country progresses politically, economically, and socially into a bright future for all Zimbabweans.