Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, [email protected]
GLOBE and Phoenix Primary School has temporarily suspended lessons after strong winds blew away tents that the school is using as classrooms.
The school was in the news recently when pupils were injured when a classroom block collapsed into a tunnel that illegal miners had dug under the school.
The school is camped at Sally Mugabe Primary School grounds where they are using tents provided by the Civil Protection Unit after they were forced to abandon their school due to illegal mining activities which destroyed infrastructure.
The recent windy and cold conditions however left the learners and staffers exposed to the vagaries of the weather patterns leaving the authorities with no option but to suspend lessons pending repairs of the tents.
Kwekwe District Schools Inspector Mr Bernard Maziriri confirmed the development saying lessons were due to resume this Friday.
“We suspended the lessons so that we could repair the tents that were blown off by the windy weather conditions which are currently obtaining. Lessons should be able to resume this Friday,” he said.
Mr Maziriri said if the condition continues, the other option will be to share infrastructure with the host school under a hot sitting arrangement.
“We are still looking at ways where the two schools can enter a hot sitting arrangement where Russel can come in the morning say until 12 then Globe and Phoenix come in from 12 to 4.30. we are still exploring those ways and I think that is the best way forward so that every child is safe,” he said.
This news crew witnessed deserted tents with only a few, perhaps exam writing, classes in attendance.
A source told this news crew that the parents, led by the School Development Committee, had ordered their children not to attend classes until a proper facility has been obtained.
“Parents are not bringing their children to school as you can see, they are exposed to the cold weather and the wind. The SDC ordered the children not to come to school,” said a source.
Last week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa called for the construction of the new school to be fast-tracked so that children can learn in a safe environment.
Kuvimba Minig Holdings which took Homestake, donated a piece of land for the construction of the new school but a geo-techno survey will determine whether the place is safe for the construction of the school or not.
Online Reporter