Council avails funds for schools PPEs

Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has diverted school levies that were meant for schools’ sports and text books towards the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment for all their council run schools.

The move is meant to compliment Government’s effort to ensuring that schools are ready for the phased reopening in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. To date only examination writing classes have reopened.

According to the latest council report, the local authority diverted $801 127 that was meant for sports and text books levy to schools to augment funds for purchasing of PPEs.

“Council schools just like any other schools, private or Government have been doing their bit to prepare for that eventuality. Council had spent above $500 000 in procuring sanitizers and infra-red thermometers for its schools with more than half the schools already having received the ordered materials and the remainder expected to be delivered within the next two weeks.

“The schools were continuing with the procurement in liaison and with coordination from the parent Ministry so as to avoid duplication of activities. Further, it has been resolved that remittances for sports and text book levies totaling $801 127 are prioritised and channeled to schools to augment funds for purchasing Personal Protective Equipment,” reads the council report.

It was further revealed that some schools also received donations from World Vision to complement the efforts of the parents and council.

“Marking for social distancing is in progress in most schools. Each class was expected to accommodate around 20 learners. Parents had been engaged to chip in and some schools had also applied for special levies to fund the bulk of the materials that was still outstanding.

“It should be noted that schools had not been collecting any levies since the lockdown hence the slow progress in procuring items. In terms of water boreholes are being rehabilitated by various donors through the Engineering Services Department,” reads the report.

Last month the three examination classes — Grade 7, Form 4 and Upper Sixth – reopened in the phased reopening schedule. On October 26, next year’s examination classes — Grade 6, Form 3 and Lower Sixth or Form 5 – are set to open in the second phase and a fortnight after that, on November 9, everyone else goes back to school — ECD A and B, Grades 1 to 5 and Forms 1 and 2.