By Staff Reporter
HARARE — Zimbabwean families returning from the diaspora will now have a platform to report challenges faced by their children in accessing education, following the launch of a digital assessment tool by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ).
Dubbed the Bridge To Belong Education Reintegration Assessment Bot, the platform is designed to gather information from returning families on challenges they face in accessing education, with ARTUZ saying the data will be used to strengthen its advocacy for inclusive education policies.
The union said the assessment takes about three minutes to complete and is intended to help identify barriers affecting learners and teachers returning to Zimbabwe.
ARTUZ said information collected through the platform would also help direct humanitarian assistance to affected families.
The union said support could include school fees assistance, stationery and learning materials, school uniforms, psychosocial support, legal assistance, referral services and other community-based interventions made possible through partnerships and donors.
“The Bridge To Belong campaign recognises that returning home should never mean losing the right to education.
“Every learner deserves to belong, to learn, and to thrive,” ARTUZ said in a statement.
The union urged returning Zimbabweans, teachers, school authorities, community leaders and civil society organisations to use and share the assessment platform to help identify families in need of assistance.
According to ARTUZ, the initiative is intended to generate evidence that can be used to influence government policy and improve access to education for children returning from the diaspora or other countries.
“Every response helps us build evidence, influence policy and advocate for an education system that welcomes every child,” the union said.
“No child should be left behind simply because they are returning home,” said ARTUZ.
Zimbabwe has experienced significant migration over the past two decades due to economic challenges, with many families periodically returning from neighbouring countries and overseas.
Returning children often encounter difficulties enrolling in schools because of documentation requirements, curriculum differences and financial constraints.
ARTUZ said it hopes the new digital platform will help bridge those gaps while ensuring returning learners are not excluded from education.
