admin
Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporter
A BULAWAYO pastor, who says he dropped Mathematics at O-Level because he was dull, is teaching the subject at his unregistered school in Pumula South after claiming the Holy Spirit had taught him Maths.
Pastor Isaac Charamba of Rivers of Living Waters Ministry has opened a school at his house where he teaches Grade Ones up to Form Four.
The government outlawed backyard schools in 2010 and shut down more than 60 unregistered colleges in Bulawayo.
These schools gained prominence in 2008 when the country’s economy was on its knees and most of the teachers were taking advantage of pupils whose teachers had deserted them for greener pastures.
Chronicle yesterday visited Pastor Charamba who is an untrained teacher but has been teaching for the past six years.
“I have about 25 pupils for my morning lessons and another 25 for the afternoon lessons. I teach pupils from Grade One to Form Four. For Form Fours I teach “Arts Subjects” that include Mathematics, Integrated Science, Commerce, Geography and English,” he said.
“I was the dullest in my class when it came to Mathematics. I didn’t even write it at O-Level but God through His Spirit taught me Mathematics. You can even sit here and watch me teach and you will see that I’m now good at it,” said Charamba.
Quizzed on how he manages to teach all his classes at one go Charamba said: “It depends on how you do your things.”
Charamba said he only attended theological college but has been teaching since 2008.
“I never went to teacher training colleges but I studied in our theological colleges. In 2008 when there was a shortage of teachers I started teaching. That’s when people started to know about my good works. They started bringing their children. I teach even grown-ups like you,” he said.
Charamba said he never teaches a wrong syllabus because the syllabuses are readily available.
“I buy syllabuses, browse for them on the internet or ask from other teachers.”
Charamba said even education officers have visited his backyard school which does not have desks as his pupils use a few benches available.
His school consists of two rooms — from a home set up. One of the rooms could be the lounge while the other could be the main bedroom.
Charamba said fees at his school were not fixed as most for his pupils came from poor families.
“To say I charge them, I will be lying as most of them contribute what they can. Some of them bring maize but there are times where I require cash so that I can buy some of the things needed,” said Charamba.
He said with funds permitting he wishes to open a formal school registered with the government.
I wish to open a school in future so that I can employ teachers and empower them,” said Charamba.
The news crew also caught up with a parent whose child is enrolled at the school and he heaped praises on Charamba.
“He helps a lot some of us who struggle to send our children to formal schools. Some of the children who transfer from here do well in formal schools,” said Jachonia Mvula.
Contacted for comment Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Dan Moyo said the school was illegal.
“It’s not allowed. I will send my officers to close the school,” he said.
Online Reporter