Parents sweat over back to school

A NUMBER of parents and guardians yesterday faced challenges taking their children to pick up points where they would be ferried back to their schools.

Among the school buses, which left the capital after 5pm yesterday, was the Johane Masowe weChishanu Vadzidzi vaJesu Centre Zimbabwe Africa High School, which was heading to Mashonaland Central.

One of the parents, only identified as Mai Presley, told H-Metro that some illegal transport drivers tricked them.

Police are conducting a blitz against illegal transport operators and unregistered vehicles.

“I walked with my child from St Mary’s Police Station to cross Hunyani River after a Honda Fit driver ordered us to drop off quickly to avoid a police checkpoint,” said Mai Presley.

“We had to board another private vehicle after the bridge since police were close to the bridge and again we were dumped at Coca Cola, along Seke Road.

“That delayed us a lot and we found the school bus gone.

“Nhasi bridge raHunyani raita kunge kuMessina, vanhu vachifamba netsoka vasiirwa munzira nemishikashika.

“They fooled us that there were no police checks on the road to take our money.”

Some parents, especially those who did last-minute shopping for their children, also faced challenges.

“We have no option than driving our children to school because I had to wind up shopping today (yesterday).

“We spent the better part of Workers’ Day doing our last-minute shopping, at least, I had time to do that since it’s a holiday,” said one of the parents, who chose not to be named.

Schools opened today for the second term which is expected to end on August 4.