Dilapidated schools closed

Kapane Primary School in Tsholotsho as well as Chithekelwe and Mahlothova primary schools in Umguza district were said to be in a dilapidated state and a danger to pupils.

Matabeleland North provincial education director Boithatelo Mnguni said 30 percent of the schools in the area were in bad shape. The area has about 500 primary schools and 30 percent of that is 150 schools.

She said the schools had either collapsing roofs because of termites or had huge cracks. Thirty per cent of primary schools in the province are in a state of collapse, resulting in the recent closure of three institutions after they were declared a disaster. The children are now learning under trees, said Mnguni.

The majority of remote rural area schools have children walking an average of 10 kilometers to the nearest school. The Ministry of Education Sports and Culture stipulates that at an average pupils should be staying in a radius of 3 kilometers from the nearest school.

There are things in Matabeleland North that mitigate us from achieving the child friendly school. The schools are not accessible. While the Ministry requires that children walk for between three and five kilometers to school, you realise that most of them are walking more than that distance on their own, added Mnguni.