adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
VILLAGERS in the Gwambe area of Bulilima District are building a secondary school to reduce distances walked by their children.
Children in the district reportedly walk up to 15 kilometres to the nearest school(s).The villagers have completed building the second block at what is to be called Gwambe Secondary School.
They have enrolled Form One to Form Four classes.
A committee member in the school project, Percy Hanyane, who is also the area’s village head, said more classrooms were needed as the school could only accommodate a few children.
“The school is slowly growing. We started off with one block and some of the children have been learning from Gwambe Primary School.
“We have managed to build a second block which is now almost complete. At least some of the children will now be able to move away from the primary school to the secondary school,” said Hanyane.
He said teachers at the school did not have accommodation and were staying at the primary school.
Hanyane said the teachers were overcrowded.
The village head said: “We are working towards ensuring that the school can house all pupils and staff members. It is not proper for the pupils to be learning at the primary school as they are crowding the place.”
Hanyane said the school had helped to ensure that children continued with their studies.
“Our children were struggling to get to school as the nearest school was about 15 kilometres away. The path which they were using was dangerous as it passed through a bushy area,” he said.
Hanyane told Chronicle there were three primary schools in Gwambe, resulting in stiff competition for Form One places.
“Consequently, he said, some children upon completing their Grade 7 were just abandoning their studies because of this challenge.
Bulilima District Education Officer, Danisa Nkomo, said the school was an annexure but it had helped improve enrolment in secondary schools.
“Gwambe Secondary is not yet registered because requirements call for the school to have two classroom blocks and two cottages for it to be a registered school.
“At least this school has managed to address the increasing problem of high school drop out cases in four villages. It is a good initiative by parents to build a school for their children,” said Nkomo.
He said the enrolment of secondary pupils had this year increased from 6,000 to 7,000.
The school opened in May 2011 with the Form One class learning from the primary school.
The two classroom blocks were built using contributions from villagers.
Online Reporter