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Kudzai Chikiwa, Chronicle Reporter
More than 90 000 pupils were affected after 143 schools were damaged by Cyclone Idai in Manicaland Province and nearly RTGS$7 million is needed to repair the damaged schools, a United Nations (UN) official said.
In an interview on Thursday, the UN Resident Co-Coordinator’s office communications specialist Mr Sirak Gebrehiwot said 28 schools in the affected areas remain inaccessible.
“According to our statistics more than 90 000 pupils were affected by Cyclone Idai that hit Chimanimani and Chipinge recently. This number is expected to rise given that there are still reports of schools that are inaccessible. On the other hand about, RTGS$6,6 million is needed to repair the damaged schools,” he said.
Mr Gebrehiwot said school supplies had started arriving in the country and will be warehoused in Chimanimani and Chipinge.
He said Unicef was working with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to develop a distribution plan for emergency supplies so that they are delivered to schools before the beginning of the second school term which starts on May 7.
The UN spokesperson said more detailed school-level assessments are ongoing and preliminary results from partners’ joint assessments highlight widespread damage and destruction of essential water, sanitation and hygiene facilities at schools.
“Information gaps remain for the schools that are still inaccessible. Water, sanitation and hygiene in schools remain the most urgent gap in the immediate term, including infrastructure and water purification tablets,” he said.
Mr Gebrehiwot said while short-term solutions are needed to ensure schools open on time for the second term, longer-term rehabilitation and holistic support to affected learners and teachers was essential. He said given the impact of the devastating cyclone on pupils and teachers, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and partners are agreed that counselling services should be prioritised. “For example, in Chimanimani, 62 pupils were killed and a further 72 girls and boys and three teachers are reportedly missing. This trauma needs psycho support,” he said. — @tamary98.
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