At the start of the 2026-2027 school year, parents are rethinking their daily routines. They have taken measures to ensure the protection of their children in the face of a wave of child disappearances.
“The situation scares us. We are taking close control of our child’s safety so that this does not affect us,” said a mother who brought her child to the school gate in Ankadivato yesterday, on the first day of school at the institution. She explained that she and her husband decided to minimize their child’s walking on public roads as much as possible.
“No bus directly serves the route between our home and the school. My husband drops her off by car in the morning, or we take a taxi. This noon, we went to have lunch at my mother’s house, because a bus line connects her home directly to the school, which avoids having to walk,” she specified.
Many parents also prefer to accompany their children to school themselves rather than delegating this responsibility to nannies. According to Mercia Rakotonandrasana, a private school guard in charge of student dismissal, the presence of nannies at the gate is becoming increasingly rare.
“I have adjusted my schedule so that I can accompany and pick up my child from school every day,” explains another self-employed mother.
Schools are also strengthening their security rules. During back-to-school meetings at several private schools, it was reiterated that only previously designated persons, equipped with the school card, are authorized to pick up students. “In case of an unforeseen event, parents must notify the school in advance and introduce the person who will replace them. Without this, the student will not leave the school premises,” specifies the head of a private institution.
Parents are calling for strengthened security measures from the State to protect students during this new school year, which is marked by the disappearance of individuals.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-08 06:24:09 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/rentree-scolaire-des-parents-changent.html