Zimbabwe Orders Schools to Enrol Repatriated Learners Without Transfer Letters
By Southerton Business Times Reporter | HARARE
The Government has directed schools across Zimbabwe to immediately enrol learners returning from South Africa without demanding transfer letters, school reports or other academic records, following the recent repatriation of thousands of Zimbabwean families displaced by anti-migrant unrest.
The directive comes after reports that some schools had been reluctant to admit returning pupils because parents could not produce documentation after fleeing South Africa at short notice. Many families reportedly left their homes hurriedly during the recent anti-immigrant protests, making it impossible to collect transfer letters, report books and other school records before returning to Zimbabwe.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education said no child should be denied access to education because of missing documents. Speaking to the Sunday News, Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said District Schools Inspectors (DSIs) had been instructed to ensure school heads facilitate the smooth integration of returning learners into Zimbabwe's education system.
"The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is happy that the process to integrate school-going children into our education system in primary and secondary schools across the country is smooth sailing," Ndoro said.
"No school will be allowed to turn away the children, and we have seen, for instance, in Harare and Mashonaland West, schools are accepting them in large numbers. The situation should be the same across the country."
The directive follows the return of thousands of Zimbabwean children, including many who were born and educated in South Africa, after anti-migrant demonstrations forced families to leave their communities. Government has been coordinating the repatriation of affected citizens through an inter-ministerial task force, with many returnees entering the country through Beitbridge Border Post before being assisted to return to their home provinces.
The Ministry said schools should prioritise children's right to education while administrative issues relating to previous school records are addressed later. Education experts have welcomed the move, noting that prolonged interruptions to schooling can have lasting effects on children's academic progress and emotional wellbeing. According to UNICEF, every child has the right to education regardless of their migration status or displacement, and governments are encouraged to remove administrative barriers that prevent learners from enrolling in school following emergencies or forced migration.
Ndoro said the Ministry is also assessing the impact of the influx of learners and is working to ensure schools have adequate teachers, classroom space and learning materials.
"The Government is working on ways to ensure schools have enough teachers and resources to cope with the rising number of learners," he said.
The influx of learners is expected to place additional pressure on some schools, particularly in provinces receiving large numbers of returning families, including Harare, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Midlands and Matabeleland South.
Officials say District Schools Inspectors will continue monitoring enrolment to ensure all repatriated children are accommodated without discrimination. The latest directive aligns with Zimbabwe's constitutional guarantee of the right to basic education and reflects Government efforts to minimise disruption to the education of children displaced by regional migration challenges.
Zimbabwe repatriated learners
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