The hidden victims of xenophobia: children paying the highest price
The hidden victims of xenophobia
As deportations continue, thousands of Zimbabwean children are losing more than just a classroom
By Alice Nyamande
The reports that thousands of Zimbabwean children are being withdrawn from schools across South Africa as deportations continue should concern every person who values human dignity and the future of our region.
Behind every child leaving a classroom lies a story of disruption, uncertainty, and loss. These are children who had begun building friendships, adapting to new environments, learning new skills, and dreaming about their futures. Many are now being forced to abandon those dreams through circumstances entirely beyond their control.
An interrupted education carries consequences that can last for years. Children who leave school mid-year often struggle to reintegrate into another system. Differences in curricula, shortages of school places, financial hardship, and missing academic records can leave many falling behind or dropping out altogether.
The emotional toll is just as serious. Many of these children experience anxiety, fear, confusion, and distress after being separated from classmates, teachers, and communities they had come to know as home. Some will carry the psychological effects of sudden displacement long after the journey ends.
For younger children, the experience can undermine their sense of safety and stability during the most formative years of their development. For teenagers, an interrupted education can close doors to higher learning and employment, increasing the risk of long-term poverty and social exclusion.
Families, too, are under immense pressure. Parents who have spent years working to give their children an education now face impossible decisions while trying to rebuild their lives under difficult circumstances. That burden does not disappear when a family crosses a border.
The consequences extend far beyond individual households. Every child whose education is disrupted represents lost human potential. Our region cannot afford to lose a generation of young people whose only wish was to learn, grow, and contribute positively to society.
As the Action Democratic Movement, we recognise every nation’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws. However, the implementation of those laws should always take into account the welfare and best interests of children. It is possible to enforce policy while still protecting children’s access to education, preserving their dignity, and reducing unnecessary trauma.
History reminds us that children should never become the greatest victims of political decisions or social tensions. They did not create these circumstances, and they should not be made to carry their lifelong consequences.
It is our hope that all governments involved, alongside educational authorities, humanitarian organisations, and community leaders, will work together to protect these children’s education as far as possible, and ensure they receive the support they need to rebuild their lives.
Every child deserves the chance to learn, to dream, and to build a future free from fear and uncertainty. That is not a political position — it is a moral responsibility.
Alice Nyamande President, Action Democratic Movement (ADM)
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