Grade 1 pupils fix crumbling classroom to avoid snakes at Zambezi school

Grade 1 pupils at a primary school in the Zambezi region have had no choice but to fix their dilapidated mud-structured classroom themselves or face snakes.

Mazoba Junior Primary accommodates about 70 pupils from pre-primary to Grade 3 level, and is situated in the Sibbinda constituency.

Joubert Simasiku, the parent of one of the affected Grade 1 pupils, says they have complained to the school management on several occasions to push for renovations, but to no avail.

He says this has led to parents deciding to take matters into their own hands, but their reparations normally do not last.

Simasiku says as a result, “our children have also attempted to fix it”.

“Last week when we went to fix an old classroom again to accommodate our children, we heard that they killed two snakes within a week’s time.

“The classes are in a bad state – from the roofs to the walls – and there are no doors either.

SNAKES, WET BOOKS, INCOMPLETE TOILETS

“Therefore, snakes have easy access. Imagine, this is where our children are taught every day.

It’s the rainy season and the pupils’ books and teaching materials are always getting wet due to leakages in the thatch roof.

“The ablution facilities were built four years ago, but they cannot use it because the septic tanks have not been installed. We really need things to be fixed at this school because our children cannot continue to be taught in such an unconducive environment,” he says.

Another concerned villager says pupils and teachers have decided to fix the specific classroom’s wall themselves.

He says the school, that is situated in a conservancy area, has no ablution facilities, resulting in teachers and pupils using bushes as toilets. “Their chances of running into wildlife in the process is very high and the situation is worsened by the fact that the school is not fenced.

“The teachers are also without proper accommodation as they are accommodated in tents. The Grade 3 pupils do not have their own class and are sharing a class with Grade 2 pupils,” the villager says.

‘NOT FORCED’

Efforts to get comment from school principal Petra Mutau have been unsuccessful as calls and questions went unanswered.

However, regional education director Alex Sikume yesterday said pupils are not required to renovate classrooms – no matter how dilapidated the infrastructure.

He said the government has ensured infrastructure at the school with limited resources, but there is a need for more.

“The mud-structured classroom was initially constructed by parents. I would like to emphasise that we do not obligate pupils to do that.

“Currently we are working on completing the construction of the septic tank for the ablution facility for it to be functional as a priority.

“We also have plans to construct permanent classrooms and other school infrastructure at the school. “However, any support is welcome to supplement the government’s efforts,” Sikume said.

He did not say why the the mud-structured classrooms are not maintained.

Executive director of education, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp yesterday said she could not comment on the matter as she is not on the ground, adding that Sikume would be in a better position to do so.

She, however, said it should be noted that infrastructure development only makes up 4% of the total education budget, adding that “more friends in education are needed to assist”.

DEVELOPMENT APPROVED

“However, I would like to emphasise that through the transforming education initiative we have identified infrastructure development as key to bring about change. Infrastructure development is highly rated in our project charter implementation plan and the Cabinet has approved it.

“Basically, we need to look at the availability of funding to honour the roll-out and the plan we have to accelerate the construction of schools, classrooms, teachers accommodation and ablution facilities, among others.

“In the past two years, we have identified schools in the regions that require classrooms, through which we have constructed 1 022 classrooms.

“Regarding teachers’ housing, they are currently only included in the capital projects which run over three to five years of our medium expenditure term.

“Additionally, we also provide the regions with basic education facility funding that can be used for the construction of classrooms, and I believe the school in question qualifies to benefit from it,” she said.