Bulawayo schools brace for SA returnee influx

BULAWAYO schools could face severe overcrowding and mounting pressure on infrastructure when the 2027 academic year begins, with councillors warning that an anticipated influx of children returning from South Africa could overwhelm existing capacity.

The concerns were raised during discussions on the City of Bulawayo's June 2026 education report, which highlighted challenges surrounding school capacity, documentation, learner performance and psychosocial support for families returning to Zimbabwe.

Councillor Felix Madzana warned that the return of large numbers of Zimbabweans from South Africa could place unprecedented pressure on council-run schools.

"By January 2027, most council schools would be overpopulated because more learners would be coming from South Africa," Madzana said.

He said the situation required urgent planning by both the local authority and central government to ensure adequate classroom space and other infrastructure was available to accommodate additional learners.

Madzana also raised concern over difficulties faced by some children in obtaining birth certificates, warning that lack of documentation could prevent them from accessing education and potentially contribute to school dropouts.

"The process of registering for a birth certificate was difficult," he said.

He said central government needed to intervene and simplify the registration process, particularly for children whose families were returning from South Africa.

The anticipated influx is expected to present not only a capacity challenge but also difficulties in integrating learners who have been educated under a different curriculum.

Councillor Roy Sekete questioned whether council schools were adequately prepared to accommodate returning learners who could have significant educational gaps.

He pointed to differences between the Zimbabwean and South African education systems and said some returning children were struggling with basic literacy.

Sekete called for a more accessible registration and documentation process to ensure children could quickly enter the Zimbabwean school system without being disadvantaged by administrative requirements.

The councillors also raised concerns about the security of council schools.

Councillor Lizzy Sibanda said break-ins were increasing, particularly at schools in Pumula, and called for improved security measures and a review of the deployment of guards.

She also highlighted cases involving learners without birth certificates, saying councillors were sometimes being asked to provide testimonial letters to help families obtain the necessary documentation.

Beyond academic and administrative challenges, councillors said returning families could require significant psychosocial support following their experiences in South Africa.

Councillor Sandra Sibindi proposed counselling programmes targeting both parents and children, including the establishment of a counselling subcommittee to coordinate assistance for returnee families.

Education committee deputy chairperson Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo supported the proposal, saying some returning families had experienced traumatic circumstances, including violent evictions and the loss of property and savings.

"The committee must visit the arrival centre at UCCSA in Njube to offer support to returning families," Moyo said.

However, Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo said existing mechanisms were already available to assist learners experiencing difficulties.

She said special education teachers assessed pupils to establish the causes of poor performance before recommending appropriate interventions.

The city's Housing and Community Services Department said council social workers were providing psychosocial support, while the Department of Social Welfare was assisting affected families.

The department also said mobile registration units had, in some cases, been deployed to wards to assist residents with obtaining registration documents.

Council urged parents and guardians to contribute towards school fees, saying payment of fees was important in reducing school dropouts and supporting the provision of education services.

It also assured residents that its schools employed professionally trained teachers who assessed learners individually and developed interventions based on their educational needs.

The latest concerns add to the pressure facing Bulawayo's education system as the city prepares for a potentially significant demographic shift.

With January 2027 only months away, councillors are calling for early planning to ensure that returning children have access to classrooms, documentation, qualified teachers and support services rather than arriving to an already overstretched school system.