Wind blows away classroom roofs

Midlands correspondent
A strong whirlwind blew up classroom roofs at Muwunga Primary School in Gweru, destroying school furniture and leaving pupils and teachers traumatised.

Gweru provincial education director Mrs Agness Gudo confirmed the incident, saying the whirwind destroyed property worth $2 000, mainly asbestos roofing.

“Indeed that is the unfortunate event which happened at Muwunga Primary School in Gweru,” she said.

“I am reliably informed that the property destroyed is mainly asbestos sheets and they are worth $2 000.

“We sent our psychologist to assess the extent of trauma among teachers and learners and reports are that the extend of trauma is relatively mild.”

Mrs Gudo said some teachers and learners were quickly sent to hospital for further assessments and no report of death or damage had been reported.

She said they were now in the process of mobilising funds to rehabilitate the school infrastructure before the onset of the rains to avoid further damages.

“The school has met with the development committee to map the way forward in terms of rehabilitating the school,” said Mrs Gudo.

“The ministry also has an emergency fund to assist schools with emergencies of such cases and we are in the process of doing the paperwork since the assistance is disbursed from Harare.”

Mr Arnold Ndlovu, a parent at Muwunga Primary School, said the situation was quite disturbing considering that one of the destroyed blocks is used by the Grade Seven class which will soon sit for examinations.