adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
Children from Chief Nyamondo’s area in Mberengwa district are being forced to walk for more than 15 kilometres to the nearest school. The government policy is to have schools within a radius of 5 kilometres from homesteads. Children from the area attend Bayaye, Vurasha, Vuragu, Mushonga Secondary schools as well as Hebron Secondary School which is in Mwenezi.
The serious shortage of secondary schools in the area has forced villagers in ward 21 under Chief Nyamondo to pool resources and construct a secondary school.
The project is being spearheaded by Chief Nyamondo and the ward councillor Naiphet Basela Chauke.
Chief Nyamondo said a classroom block had now reached roof level and was expected to be completed before the end of the year.
“We decided to come up with this initiative after realising that our children are travelling for more than 15 kilometres to attend the nearest schools. This has impacted negatively on the performance of our children.
“Each household is chipping in with financial contributions and we hope to finish the first classroom block before the end of the year so that we can have the first batch of Form 3 and 4 students next year,” said Chief Nyamondo.
He said the long distances had forced Form 1 and 2 pupils to be housed at Nyamondo Primary School, a situation which has resulted in overcrowding at the school.
Clr Chauke appealed for assistance from government as well as the donor community for the construction of more classroom blocks and teachers’ houses.
He said so far $15,000 had been raised which has since been channeled towards the construction of the first classroom block.
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