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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
TWO hundred and sixty-one pupils from early childhood development to Grade 5 at Dukwe Primary School in Mangwe District are sharing four classrooms after theirs were destroyed by a storm that hit the school recently.
About 10 homesteads and shops at Dukwe Business Centre in Madabe Ward were also destroyed in the process.
Two villagers sustained injuries after they were struck by flying debris from affected structures.
The headmaster of the school, Mr Khumbulani Ncube said only two classroom blocks were spared during the hailstorm which hit the area on Sunday around 2PM.
He said 261 pupils were affected out of an enrolment of 403 pupils.
“Six classrooms that were being used by ECD, Grade One, Two, Three and Five classes had their roofs blown off during the hailstorm. Pupils from the whole school are now learning from the remaining four classrooms.
“Two of the classrooms are, however, being used by Grade Seven pupils who are writing their exams which means 10 classes are relying on two classrooms,” he said.
Mr Ncube said the school needed $4 300 to replace the damaged roofing and $1 400 to replace damaged textbooks.
He said teachers’ cottages that were accommodating three families were also destroyed during te storm.
Mr Ncube said community members and the school development committee had resolved during a meeting that parents could not be levied towards repairs of the school as some of them had been affected at their homesteads.
“We are appealing to well wishers to help us. Pupils are crowded in the two classrooms and they are not learning properly because most of the space is covered with furniture.
“Some of the pupils are learning from outside which isn’t appropriate for learners,” he said.
The councillor of the area, Mr Nkosilathi Khahlu said an elderly villager from Dukwe Village suffered a fractured leg while a juvenile suffered a broken arm and head injuries when the hailstorm destroyed their homesteads.
He said he had identified 10 homesteads so far.
Mr Khahlu said some villagers lost household property. He appealed to various stakeholders to assist villagers who had been left stranded by the disaster.
He said villagers were in need of sleeping space, food and clothing. — @DubeMatutu
Online Reporter