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Pupils faint in class as hunger gnaws
Caiphas Chimhete, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
November 13, 2005

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/read.php?path=./news/2005/November/Sunday13/&st_id=3313

HUNDREDS of children are dropping out of school while others are fainting during lessons, mostly in the country's rural areas, as hunger takes toll, The Standard has been told.

Teachers' organisations last week expressed concern over the increasing number of school children who are dropping out of school because of hunger. They said some pupils were passing out during lessons because of hunger, after going for days without a proper meal.

MaCdonald Mangauzani, the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) acting secretary general, said the increasing number of pupils dropping out of school because of hunger had become a major concern.

As a result, Mangauzani said, PTUZ is conducting research to establish the exact number of pupils that have dropped out of school because of widespread hunger prevalent in the country.

"Quite a huge number of children are dropping out of school because they are too hungry and their parents can no longer afford to buy food. The problem is worsening on a daily basis. There are some reports of pupils passing out during classes," said Mangauzani.

Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (Zimta) president, Tendai Chikowore, said although her organisation had not done any survey on pupils dropping out, it had become common knowledge that the worsening economic situation was forcing pupils out of school.

"Even those who work here in town are facing food problems. What more of people in rural areas? Generally life is tough nowadays. Remember, the cost of commodities is going up daily and this is affecting everyone," said Chikowore.

Dropping out of school as a result of hunger and general poverty, is most common in the perennially dry parts of the country. Preliminary findings by the PTUZ indicate that Chiredzi, Mt Darwin and some parts of Manicaland are the most seriously affected areas.

The PTUZ said the economic downturn had exacerbated the problem as parents struggled to raise enough money for school fees and levies for their children.

Mangauzani said the dropout rates could have been lower had the government allowed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to distribute food relief to needy families countrywide.

Although hunger is most pronounced in rural areas, more and more urban families are also failing to send their children to school as poverty takes root.

"Some pupils in towns have cut the number of days they go to school because they cannot afford the high transport costs," noted Mangauzani.

Teachers who spoke to The Standard in Harare said even though the numbers of pupils dropping out because of hunger in the capital city was still low, they could soon rise as the economic environment worsens.

Both the Minister of Education Sport and Culture Aeneas Chigwedere and his permanent secretary, Stephen Mahere, were said to be out of the office last week.

Acting permanent secretary, Lazarus Bowora requested questions in writing.

"Address your questions to the Quality Assurance Division at Ambassador House but you only get your answers probably next week," his secretary said.

Revelations of children dropping out of school because of hunger come at a time when the government has barred NGOs from distributing relief aid to needy people. Zimbabwe, once southern Africa's breadbasket, is facing a serious food crisis and an estimated 5 million people are desperately in need of food aid.

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