admin
They said boreholes in the area had broken down while others had dried up.
“Just imagine waking up early morning to join villagers in digging up wells in the riverbed. But there is nothing we can do because we want water to bath and cook,” said one teacher who refused to be named.
He said they sometimes dismissed early from work to fetch water and look for firewood.
Another teacher who only identified himself as Mawema said the local clinic was also faced with a serious shortage of nurses.
“Chinego Clinic which services Tinde area has problems of nurses who shun the clinic. The situation is even worse when those nurses take off days or go on leave. As we speak, there is no nurse,” said Mawema.
“We are becoming more and more impatient because we do not even know if these problems will ever be solved.”
The teachers were also concerned over pupil absenteeism, the state of accommodation at the school and transport problems.
“You know my brother we love our job and we are trying hard to educate if not serve our community whole-heartedly. But the problem is that there is no support from the parents themselves,” said Mawema.
“Now that winter is here, the number of children who come to school is reduced. Almost half of the school will not come. You know this is bad. How are we then expected to improve the pass rate?” he added.
A villager, Mrs Agnes Muleya, confirmed teachers were facing challenges.
“The water from one of the boreholes near the school seems to be contaminated. The water comes out with a rare colour. Some say it is coal but one cannot drink it,” said Mrs Muleya.
On pupils not reporting for school, Mrs Muleya said the problem was that some parents did not prioritise education and wanted children to assist them with harvesting.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu