The less privileged children need education the more

Tshwarelo Hosia | Monday October 20, 2025 06:00

Education is the most sought-after commodity. Yet it is not cheap. Children of privilege and those from underprivileged backgrounds equally need it. It could be argued that the less privileged children need it more.

Yet these are the very children who face far too many stumbling blocks conspiring and threatening to take away or compromise their right to education. Realising that bearing the full costs of education is beyond many parents, the government, to its credit, tried to cheapen the costs of education by charging nominal fees. This was deliberately calculated to ensure that no eligible child is left behind. On the surface, it looks like parents are paying too little compared to the value of the education their children are getting.

The ‘free’ education policy is paying dividends to some extent. And this could arguably be the reason responsible for increased access and the consequent tremendous growth in the literacy rate. However, challenges remain. In spite of the existence of free education, the road to education is still bumpy and rough for economically struggling families.

The fact of the matter is that there are hidden costs making education a very expensive commodity and therefore beyond the budgets of the poor. The struggles of the poor are multifaceted in nature, ranging from a shortage of food, transport, security concerns, payment of school levies, and procurement of educational materials. Not all homes are located within the vicinity of schools.

Daily transport is required for children staying far away from their schools. Inequality begins when some children have to walk to school because their parents cannot afford transport, while other children are driven to school. Organising and paying for transport can be a daunting and overwhelming experience.

The problem is compounded by the fact that some villages are also not blessed with reliable transport. Raising financial resources to cater for basic needs such as food, as well as transport costs, places a heavy strain on the limited resources at the disposal of poor families. In the past, poor children had a cushion in the form of boarding schools. Many children who would have struggled to go to school benefited enormously from accommodation in boarding schools.

But it would appear the concept of boarding schools has died a natural death. There are also security worries, especially in crime-infested environments. The security concerns come from having to watch children from poverty-stricken backgrounds leaving home at five o’clock in the morning to walk long distances to schools and return later in the evening. Concerns over the safety of children have psychological effects on parents and children, and this might adversely impact educational outcomes.

The issue of provision of transport as well as resuscitation of boarding schools to cater especially for the less privileged should receive more attention.

There is an emerging challenge that parents now have to contend with. This is the challenge of having to participate in the mobilisation of teaching and learning materials. It is abundantly clear that the government at the moment cannot afford to secure all the teaching and learning materials that children in schools need.

This situation compels parents to dig deep into their pockets to rescue the situation. The increased parental involvement in education is laudable, but for those who are weak economically, it is a burden too heavy to shoulder. Schools have levies, which parents should honour.

The parent-teacher associations manage the levies, and the money raised plays a crucial role in the development of schools. But for parents who are financially crippled, it is extremely difficult to honour their financial obligations without necessarily compromising their ability to feed and clothe their children.

There is a need to spare some thought for the needy so that their children can enjoy access to education with less financial worries. For parents struggling to make ends meet, boarding schools could come to their rescue.

Boarding schools not only lessen the financial burden on parents but also allow parents to navigate their daily struggles while their children are temporarily under the care of the schools. Boarding schools, if well managed, can be a panacea to the nagging challenge of academic underachievement.

Securing the right school climate is fundamental in the quest to raise student-learning outcomes. There is a need to rally behind the cause of education as an equalising agent. The task at hand includes enabling and empowering parents who may not fully provide the right environment for their children to learn.