adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
LANDA J Nkomo High School in Tsholotsho District is in need of resources to complete outstanding projects including establishing boarding facilities.
There has been concern that the school, a brainchild of the late Vice-President Dr Landa John Nkomo, was now neglected since the death of the national hero in January last year.
The school was officially commissioned by President Mugabe in 2012 and is supposed to be a boarding school catering for pupils from remote villages in the district.
At the moment a handful of pupils who cannot walk long distances from their homes stay at the school cottages.
The school’s deputy head Cassious Ngwenya told Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cde Lazarus Dokora during a visit on Friday that the school was under pressure to construct boarding facilities for its pupils.
He said they were forced to accommodate some pupils in teachers’ houses, which are also inadequate for the school staff.
“We’ve received pupils from as far as Bulawayo, Tshabanda, Dikili, Nembe, Butabubili, Gariya and Gulalikabili, who sought accomodation at the school and we were compelled to open a quasi -boarding facility to accommodate them,” said Ngwenya.
“We therefore seek assistance to build proper boarding facilities. Due to the ever increasing school enrolment, we are faced with an acute shortage of classrooms, furniture and staff cottages.”
Ngwenya said since the passing on of VP Nkomo the school has managed to construct three teachers’ houses with assistance from Delta Corporation and the school development committee.
He said the school had a number of incomplete projects that needed funding.
“Hwange Colliery Company pledged to sponsor our home economics block but it has been at foundation level since February 2013,” said Ngwenya adding, “The school also has a state-of-the-art information and communication technology laboratory which is installed with broadband satellite system with a maximum radius of 100 metres. Since January 2013, the school was cut off and has failed to raise funds for reconnection. The system assists both teachers and pupils in internet research projects.”
Matabeleland North provincial education director Boithatelo Mnguni said she was disappointed that the school’s standards had declined due to lack of support despite pledges made to complete the construction of the school.
“The late Vice President was very passionate about education and did everything a dying man could do for the rural children in Tsholotsho to have access to education,” she said.
“It’s unfortunate that nobody has bothered to fulfil his dream of upgrading the school, which was incomplete when it was commissioned.
“The administration block is beautiful but the school is incomplete.
“This is dampening the spirits of the people working at the school. I hope the government and partners will put their heads together to fulfil the dreams of the late Vice President and also assist other schools that need to be upgraded.”
Mnguni said it was unfortunate that Dr Nkomo died before completing the school adding that the institution was not in a position to provide the standard education to its intended beneficiaries.
Cde Dokora urged school authorities to keep their poultry project running to generate income and keep the fees low for local pupils, most of whom cannot afford to pay school fees.
The school has an enrolment of 318 pupils, and has 22 teachers, 16 qualified and six student teachers.
The school recorded a four percent pass rate in last year’s Ordinary Level public examinations and is planning to introduce Advanced Level classes.
derick.khumalo