Schools Ordered to Accept Undocumented Returnees from South Africa

The government ordered schools across Zimbabwe to stop rejecting learners returning from South Africa, many of whom fled anti-migrant protests without school reports or transfer letters, iHarare reported. The directive aims to fast-track the reintegration of thousands of children arriving through Beitbridge. The order follows the mass repatriation of over 140,000 Zimbabweans since early July, as xenophobic violence swept South African townships. Families abandoned homes with few belongings, leaving children without the usual documentation required for school enrollment. The immediate challenge is the strain on an already overstretched education system, with schools lacking resources to absorb the sudden influx. Authorities must now balance humanitarian needs with capacity constraints, while addressing the trauma of displaced learners.