Do not rely on hand-outs, schools urged

Wilson Kakurira
Teach a man to catch fish and to take care of the fishing rod, and he will have enough for the rest of his life. The old adage has proven to be the viable entrepreneurial alternative. Many education institutions are still looking up for financial alms from government and other well-wishers, while they shun the potential of resources surrounding them.

Before talking about the success of any given entrepreneurial venture, education institutions should be manned by a willing staff workforce and a headmaster who are eager to work towards the success of any set goals. This was the advice by the guest of honour, Senior Principal Director in the Office of the President Dr Innocent Tizora, at Kawondera Primary School in Murombedzi on Friday September 30 2016.

Dr. Tizora said entrepreneurial projects seek to empower the school to become self-dependent and explore other income generating projects for extra income to strengthen the school’s financial state and also the welfare of the student.

“If we have a headmaster who is not keen on any project then we are bound to fail in whatever we embark on. I remember when we were students at this school many years back, there were gardens, orchards and now this under utilised school land was cultivated to produce crops and fruits. The income generated selling this produce could be used directly in some projects by the Head and his SDA committee.

“I do not know whether it is because of water problems here that has affected such projects but it pains me to see these fields lying idle yet the school is struggling to raise income and therefore continues to extend its bowl to Kawondera Old Students Association every time they think of conducting any project,” he said.

Dr. Tizora implored the school authorities to embark on projects that will school to maintain its infrastructure and meet other school expenses. Added Dr. Tizora: “It is not fair to blame the members of staff alone but also the community surrounding this school. I was told that the school fence was stolen and I would like to believe that it was done by locals and this alone affects all the agricultural activities as stray animals can destroy crops and fruit trees.

“This is a very serious issue and I would like to think that we cannot come up with a solution overnight but we need to meet with the school staff and the SDA so that we tell them that we cannot continue to give you hand-outs but we want you to do some income generating projects, projects that we will be supervising along with other old students to see whether we are making profits or not and to check whether the projects are being undertaken by honest individuals.

“We will ask the head to choose a project of his choice and we will get sponsorship to finance the project which they choose. I would like to believe that Kawondera Primary school has been living from hand to mouth which is not advisable for any progressive educational institution.

“Dependency syndrome is a bad habit and school heads know they also have a mandate of working together with the old students to make this school a better place to be. The role of the SDAs is not to get allowances alone and also if they are not checked they can end up fleecing the money that is meant for projects.

“We need the staff, parents and the community that surround Kawondera Primary School to cooperate in whatever project we agree to embark on. Unity can make anything achievable, as the Kawondera Primary School Old Students Association (KOSA) we will always continue to support the school to ensure that it restores its status of being the best school in the district.”

Meanwhile the schools inspector for Zvimba District Rhodam Masarirambi reiterated that schools should not rely on hand outs all the time if they want to continue flourishing in the long run.

“In most of the gatherings that I have attended, I have encouraged schools to do viable projects, viable projects that can generate income and desist from depending on the parents who are hard hit by the economic situation and the drought on the other side.

“These projects can enable us to create schools that are self-reliant, schools that equip students with skills that they need to survive when they leave schools.

“Old students’ associations have a role of redeeming our communities from the challenges they face and some of the old students have the financial capabilities and skills required to develop the schools but I would like to challenge these former students to take the channel of initiating projects that will make schools run on their own,” he said.

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