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Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
FOR over a decade now, learners from Esiphikeni High School in Bubi District, Matabeleland North, embarked on arduous journeys each year to sit for their final Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations as their school had no administration block.
Year after year, students faced the daunting task of travelling long distances to neighbouring schools to take their exams, a situation that has persisted despite repeated appeals for assistance from concerned stakeholders.
Esiphikeni High School has struggled with inadequate infrastructure, with the absence of an administration block being a glaring deficiency.
This forced learners to endure long and often inconvenient journeys, adding unnecessary stress and logistical challenges during an already crucial period in their academic lives.
The pupils had to seek shelter at various homes in Inyathi Village, so that they could be able to sit for examinations in surrounding schools such as Inyathi Mission.
According to Zimsec regulations, if a school has no administration block, it is not supposed to conduct examinations.
To address the challenges, the Enkenyane Village under Ward 14 in Bubi District, mobilised funds and built an administration block at Esiphikeni High School.
Ward 14 Councillor, Cookie Moyo, said the construction of the administration block at Esiphikeni High School has helped address the plight faced by local learners.
“The fact that learners from Esiphikeni High School travelled long distances to other schools to write examinations affected their performance. Some of these learners were also being exposed to drug and substance abuse and sexual assault, which comes with the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and early unplanned pregnancies since there would be little parental supervision,” she said.
“As villagers, we came together and built an administration block at Esiphikeni High School given the challenges that our children faced.
“Zimsec has a regulation that if a school has no administration block their students cannot write in that school.”
Clr Moyo said villagers mobilised funds and bought building materials for the construction of the administration block.
“A larger chunk of the money was raised through levies that parents were paying, including donations from each household. We are hopeful that this year, our learners will be able to write examinations at our school,” she said.
Online Reporter