Source: Day schools overwhelmed as boarding lose appeal – herald
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PARENTS and guardians are increasingly shifting their preferences when it comes to secondary school choices, with a sharp rise in transfers from boarding schools and growing demand for places in urban day schools, The Manica Post has observed.
Investigations revealed that some boarding schools — long criticised for charging exorbitant fees during Form One intake — have experienced a marginal decline in demand.
Even the traditional six-unit requirement for admission into prominent boarding schools has been relaxed, with some learners who attained up to 10 units being accommodated this year.
Overcrowding, once a hallmark of these institutions due to high demand, has also prompted some parents to withdraw their children.
In contrast, urban day schools have faced overwhelming pressure during their recent Form One intake, with places quickly filled by learners achieving six and seven units.
St Dominic’s High School, for example, has already completed its 2026 Form One enrolment, reflecting the surge in demand for day schools.
The shift is also driven by financial considerations.
Many parents now view boarding school enrolment fees — often running into thousands of dollars — as an unnecessary burden, especially when equally competitive day schools are available at a fraction of the cost.
Enrolling at some of Manicaland’s well-known boarding schools requires about US$2,000, covering uniforms, but excluding pocket money, tuck, school shoes, exercise books, and textbooks.
By contrast, urban day schools are charging an average of US$250 for Form One enrolment, excluding uniforms.
Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Richard Gabaza, said authorities are still monitoring the trend.
However, Anglican Diocese of Mutare Bishop Eric Ruwona — whose denomination runs several prominent boarding schools in the province — acknowledged that demand for boarding school places has noticeably declined in recent years.
“Demand for boarding places has been declining for the past three years. Demand for day schools which produce quality results have risen. This has led to a rise of private colleges in town.
“As the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland, we also responding by establishing private colleges at all our urban congregations and selected rural churches. Currently, we have private players running schools at our facilities.
“St Agnes Parish in Chikanga has the biggest school running. The parish is constructing a multi-storey building to extend the school facilities. Our cathedral also has another.
“The diocesan office has another school. The vision is that we will have a sister school to St Augustine’s High School running at our diocesan office by 2030,” said Bishop Ruwona.
In a separate interview, Roman Catholic Mutare Diocese Education Director, Reverend Father Philip Kembo said the emergence and sprouting of urban day private schools has also seen parents withdrawing their children from boarding schools.
“Thank you for that observation, I highlighted that in the past year due to the emerging of private schools or colleges. Parents in the past years opted that their children join them and go to school from home, because private schools, according to them, offered quality education.
“Parents with children in private schools are giving the teachers incentives and better remuneration compared to their counterparts. This in itself, boosts the morale of the teachers and their service delivery,” he said.
Father Kembo, however, said they experienced a change in attitude this year, with parents acceding to school fees increment in boarding schools’ EGMs for the comfort of their children.
“However, it is a different story this year, many parents have enrolled their kids in boarding schools so that children are safe in those boarding schools while they hustle for their survival and payment of fees.
“On another note, when parents visit their children in boarding schools, they bring in more supplementary foodstuffs for them, meaning that some schools are not able to provide enough and home provided essentials for the children, such as, to remove porridge daily and put cereals like Cerevita.
“It is a necessity for today’s child. The narrative is different this year, most parents, are willing to have boarding fees increased, to meet these demands. This was my experience in the just concluded EGMs.
“Above all, let boarding schools be homes to learners and not remand homes. If the environment cannot produce a child who can survive in the current socio-economic and political environment, then boarding schools are not serving their purpose,” he said.
Parents and guardians interviewed by The Manica Post expressed varied perspectives.
Mr Mathias Madakadze of Chikanga said: “I have always told my family and peers that I don’t want to stress over school fees. I will always choose what I can afford. For that reason, most of my children attend urban day schools. They are cheaper compared to boarding schools, yet they still produce good pass-rates. In this age of rampant drug and substance abuse, day schools also give me the chance to closely monitor my children as they grow.”
Mr Douglas Chiruka of Zimta Park shared a similar sentiment: “I see no reason to crack my head over whether it is day or boarding school. I simply go with what I can afford. After all, learners from St Dominic’s and those from St Faith’s end up at the same universities.”
However, Mr Jacob Chinyanga of Dangamvura offered a different view: “Personally, I prefer boarding schools because they instill a sense of responsibility in a child. That is why I advocate for boarding schools over day schools.”
The post Day schools overwhelmed as boarding lose appeal appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.