Community seeks help to complete school building project

Chronicle Reporter
RESETTLED villagers in Matobo’s Ward 21 are appealing for financial assistance to complete building three primary schools as a way of improving education facilities in the district. The three schools under construction are Poly Magama, Sydney Malunga and Makupa.
The projects officer for Matobo Rural District Council, Mr Tapson Ncube, said the project, which started six months ago, was taking too long to finish because of lack of resources. “We do not have enough water sources for the projects. Our workers are forced to walk more than 20km to collect water. This takes more time of which we should have finished the schools by now,” said Mr Ncube.

He said the council and villagers had so far, spent $15 000 on the project. “We still need more money to complete the schools. The community is trying its best to have the schools completed as education is important in the development of communities,” said Mr Ncube.  “The funds we receive from the community members are not enough hence we are appealing for assistance from the Government and well-wishers. We need machinery because most of the work is done manually. We also need building material such as bricks, cement and asbestos,” he said.

Mr Ncube said they had come together to build the schools to save pupils from walking long distances to the few schools in the district.
“School pupils are forced to walk more than 10 km to school. Several girls have dropped out of school due to fears of being raped on their way to school. Some of the children are discouraged by the long distance.

The council decided to strategically build schools closer to encourage children to go to school and avoid incidents of rape,” he said.
Mr Ncube said the council was also planning to build a secondary school in the resettlement area.

“We want to build a high school for parents who cannot afford to take their children to local boarding schools. Some villagers can not afford to take their children to Minda and Matopo High Schools because they consider them expensive,” he said.