School rejects local currency amidst parents’ anger
Victor Sibanda
JAMBEZI-Parents in Jambezi are up in arms with authorities at St Michael Mbizha Primary School, a Roman Catholic run institution for rejecting the local currency meant to buy school uniforms.
A number of parents accused the new priest, Father Xolani Ncube of being insensitive to their plight as most of the villagers have no access to United States Dollars.
“The cost is $7 per uniform but the priest is rejecting payment in form of ecocash, bond notes or card swiping,” asked Themba Ncube of Chenje village, who claims that his children are going to St Michael Mbizha Primary School without uniforms because he does not have the required USD.
” The school must sell in local currency at the prevailing rate. Not all of us have USD. My son earns RTGS and that is all we have. Something has to be done about this,” said Andile Chuma, a Siamwele resident.
Villagers are also unhappy that the new priest has banned them from producing uniforms which they used to sell in RTGS and through barter trade.
” I have been producing and selling uniforms to parents in local currency and through barter trade. People were happy and I was also making a living. The Government is on record promoting indigenisation initiatives by locals but Fr Ncube’s stance seems to oppose government’s efforts at empowering locals. He wants us to sink deeper into poverty,” said Angela Ncube from Sibilinda village.
The School Development Committee chairperson, Ms Lindani Zulu from BH4 admitted that the school does not accept the local currency.
” We don’t take that. We order these uniforms in USD so how can we sell in local currency? It doesn’t work out. We want USD only”, said Zulu adding that school fees may be paid in local currency.
” I told the parents that we will be selling uniforms in USD only. We buy them in USD and it doesn’t make business sense to resell the product in local currency. We have run out of uniforms because a lot of people are buying them. If people do not have the USD, why are we running out of stock?” said the priest.
“Even though I am aware that some members of the community were making a living out of it, I stopped them from producing uniforms. This was intended at normalising the situation. As Mission schools we must sell uniforms for a profit to develop our institutions. Some were selling substandard uniforms at twice our price. Our school colour is sky blue but we were seeing different shades of blue we had to act to bring normalcy in the school,” said Fr Ncube.
