Overcrowding crisis at Victoria Falls schools

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
Victoria Falls City council is concerned about the shortage of learning infrastructure in the resort town amid concerns of crowding at schools at a time when social distancing is necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The city’s population was about 33 000 in 2012 when the last census was held and has reportedly grown to more than 40 000, according to council.

Primary schools Baobab, Chamabondo, Chinotimba, Mkhosana Adventist, St Josephine Bakhita, AD Junior, Kings, Victoria Falls, Peace, Grace Missions, Amazing Kids, Shalom and Jacaranda Montessori are said to be full and overcrowded.

Mosi-oa-Tunya High School and Mkhosana Adventist Secondary are the only public secondary schools and are reportedly overwhelmed by learners with private institutions City College, Dadani Secondary, Education Centre, Elite and Herentals said to be facing the same predicament.

For example, Elite College had about 150 pupils before lockdown with only a single block with three classrooms.

About 224 pupils share one block at Peace Primary while Amazing Kids also has a single block with five classrooms.

Mosi-oa-Tunya school development committee chairperson Mr Christopher Dube said the school is yet to finalise on how to split learners.

“Our challenge is that most of our classes have 45 pupils and we have been trying to come up with a strategy on how we will split them. We will be having a meeting with school administration on Monday to finalise but so far, the issue of social distancing is going to give us a headache. We tried it when schools opened last year but it was not easy because we are already crowded yet we have a few blocks,” said Mr Dube.

Mosi-oa-Tunya had 1 337 pupils last year against its capacity of about 1 000.

Owner of Dadani Secondary School Mr Christopher Ndlovu said they will be converting some halls into classes.

“As an institution we are ready to open but our biggest challenge is that one of our classes has 37 pupils hence we will have to use some halls to try to squeeze them,” he said.

Dadani also offers vocational and technical education whose classes also run concurrently with the secondary school.

Victoria Falls City council is also concerned about shortage of learning infrastructure.

Housing and Community Services director Mr Brian Nyamande said the city has grown significantly over the last 10 years in terms of population.

“Naturally, demand for schools and other educational facilities has increased over the same period and as a local authority we have been working closely with private players to complement both council and Government efforts.

“We are also working on offering more of the public schools which are generally more affordable than the private ones. As a local authority we have also set aside land for the development of a secondary school to decongest the overcrowded Mosi-oa-Tunya and we are hoping to get partners,” said Mr Nyamande.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has implored schools to be innovative and come up with strategies to ensure all learners attend classes while maintaining social distance, with the ministry set to assess schools’ infrastructure countrywide.

Schools opened today for examination classes and the rest of the classes will open on March 22, and Government has reiterated the need for adherence to health protocols such as social distancing, wearing of masks and washing of hands.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education communications director Mr Taungana Ndoro implored schools to be innovative.

“One strategy is for schools to alternate days for classes as they come up with a plan for physical distancing. Some schools do hot sitting while others have converted common rooms and dormitories into classrooms. They can even use church buildings and should be innovative enough to eanble them to adhere to World Health Organisation guidelines and health protocols,” said Mr Ndoro.

“We will need to assess school during this Covid-19 era and the department of infrastructure and physical planning in the ministry is going to recommend to the Permanent Secretary (Tumisang Thabela) and Minister Cain Mathema.”

Mr Ndoro said Government acknowledges shortage of schools countrywide hence it has been building some infrastructure with the help of partners -@ncubeleon