Zimbabwe: Pandora’s Lunchbox – How School Fees Embody the Chaos of Zimbabwe’s Currency System

Mutare, Zimbabwe — A flailing currency system that pits weak local dollars against scarce US dollars has far-reaching impacts on education.

Mary Mlambo’s daughters were looking forward to the second-term reopening of Zimbabwe’s schools in early May 2023. Clad in their winter uniforms — trousers instead of the usual skirts or dresses — and bundled up in blazers, jerseys and scarves, the two girls resumed classes at their respective schools.

Having bought all required reading and writing…