SCHOOLS have opened and learners are still flocking to their respective schools.
Some parents are in financial doldrums to the extent that their children are still at home, not sure when they will report to schools.
The economic situation is not pleasing at all, with unbearable inflation rates, high interest rates, lack of investor confidence, unstable local currency and an unprecedented unemployment rate.
Some of the salaries paid to professionals are so meagre that it is difficult to even send one child to a boarding school in the country.
The level of poverty has reached alarming levels.
I accompanied one friend of mine to a high school in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East province, who was seeking a Form 3 place for his child.
I did not know that headmasters are now demigods even if they are at government schools.
The security guards at the gate were belligerent, they were under strict instruction not to allow anyone inside.
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The headmaster was not picking his phone for the whole day and we later learnt from the community about the deep-seated arrogance of the school head.
We drove away without receiving any attention and it dawned on me that the Primary and Secondary Education ministry has to put its house in order.
Such smugness and condescension should not be tolerated, particularly from a public official at a government institution who will soon retire onto the streets.
People forget they still need others and being a Cabinet minister, headmaster or vice-chancellor will one day come to an end, so looking down upon others is suicidal.
Office bearers should utilise their positions for networking and not to be blowhards who will live to regret their untoward attitude in future.
The Mazowe area in Mashonaland Central has recently witnessed an outbreak of cholera, a medieval water-borne disease caused by gram-negative facultative anaerobe, vibrio cholerae.
It is undeniable that outbreaks require strong mitigation and containment strategies if we are to reduce incidence and prevalence rates.
Clean water supplies, good sanitation and hygiene are the cornerstones of cholera prevention and control.
Risk communication and community engagements are critical strategies if the disease is to be subdued.
This calls for strong educational programmes to educate people about the symptoms and signs of cholera so that cases are managed early.
The disease can present with severe vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle cramps, generalised weakness, fainting and death can occur if complications are not corrected quickly.
Heightened surveillance is required once cases are suspected or identified with contact tracing taking centre stage.
Social media was recently abuzz with news of schools that have dilapidated infrastructure.
Ablution facilities at some of the stated schools are astonishing and one wonders if we still have paternalistic school authorities or we have avaricious school leaders who are chasing wealth.
How can a school claim to be ready for cholera when it does not have minimal sanitation facilities?
How is learner hygiene mantained if there is not even a simple bucket of water to wash hands?
Where is running water at some of the prominent schools?
It seems some of us do not appreciate the gravity of cholera when it strikes.
The disease has potential to decimate communities within a short time if no medical attention is rendered quickly, particularly to patients that have fulminant dehydration of close to 10%. We should strive to make sure the disease is kept under check and any suspected cases should be reported to health authorities as a matter of urgency.
Delays may result in the spread of the disease to many learners so health education should be comprehensive so that it benefits the community at large.
Government should identify risky areas and introduce the cholera vaccine.
The two doses are of importance as they provide protection from cholera for up to three years.
Severe cholera can be prevented through vaccines.
Keep cholera out of schools forever.
Suspected cases of cholera should be reported if we are to contain the disease.
