The Chronicle
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A NEW secondary school has opened its doors in Tshabili area under Beitbridge East constituency as Government and its partners continue to address challenges facing most rural children in accessing primary and secondary education.
Tshabili Secondary School is located in Ward 2 under Beitbridge Rural District Council (BBRDC).
Its feeder primary schools include Tshabili, Lukange, Longombwe and Longowe.
Construction works were funded by World Vision Zimbabwe’s Matibe cluster, while the community offered labour and Government provided land and technical support.
World Vision invested US$180 000 in the project. It also drilled and mechanised boreholes at the new school and three clinics.
The clinics are Tshituripasi, Makombe and Dite, where access to potable water had been a challenge.
World Vision Limpopo Area Development Manager (Matibe cluster), Mrs Pretty Dube said the school opened its doors on September 26 to its first pupils.
She said the initiative was part of their many community assistance projects to augment the Government’s efforts in providing quality education.
“At Tshabili, we have finished all the activities that were planned and are excited that the school is now operational,” said Mrs Dube.
“Last week the enrolment was at 112 from Form 1 to Form 3. We are looking at constructing two teachers’ cottages there so that it accommodates more teachers as the enrolment will increase”.
The new secondary is expected to address challenges around transitioning from primary to secondary school facing many people in the area.
Mrs Dube said besides Tshabili Secondary School, they had also helped the Beitbridge community to construct, Malala and Masera secondary schools, Langeni Primary School as part of World Vision’s community development initiatives.
She said three more classrooms were built at Nuli primary school and many buildings at a number of schools had been renovated.
“We have also funded the construction of four waiting mother’s shelters at Majini, Makakavhule, Swereki and Tongwe clinics and rehabilitated a Zezani mothers’ shelter,” said Mrs Dube.
Beitbridge District Schools Inspector, Mr Freedom Mbofholowo Muleya said they were happy that the number of schools was increasing in the district.
He said so far all wards in the district now have a secondary school.
“We now have 19 secondary schools in the district. This development will help improve the transition rate from primary to secondary education level,” said Mr Muleya.
Miss Roita Mbedzi from Tshaswingo area said the school will help address issue of juvenile delinquency, early marriages, high rate of sexual transmissions among other issues the female pupils were facing while practising bush boarding in other areas.
Bush boarding happens when children seek accommodation at homesteads or accommodation facilities, either permanent or temporary so that they can access the nearest available school.
“As a girl child who grew up in rural Beitbridge the school is a good initiative to the community of Beitbridge East which is still rich in cultural values and adherence to customs,” said Mrs Kiliboni Ndou.
“It will address the gaps that are there in girls and boys education in that community because most girls in Beitbridge East drop out from school due to distance, pregnancy and also lack of funding. This school will bridge that gap.”
She said most girls who grow up in the rural setup are set aback by abuse from boys on their way to and from school.
Mrs Ndou said in some instances boys especially rural boys when they reach teenage stage they become sexually active and they start pursuing girls and not all of them accept rejection.
In some cases, she said boys become violent towards the girls affecting females in their studies.
“This is usually prevalent to girls walking long distances to school. Girls around that area end up lodging at other people’s homes in Malungudzi where there is no control or monitoring and they end up cohabiting which ends up in teenage pregnancies and early marriages. Our hope as a community is that Tshabili Secondary School will give an opportunity even to the school drop outs maybe through the DREAMs project,” added Mrs Ndou.
According to Mr Npfariseni Singo, from the Malungudzi area, children around Tshabili area had been offered the same learning opportunities with others in other areas where there are secondary schools.
“We commend the Government for this initiative and our wish is for all schools in our area to be modernised and have internet access so that students can have equal opportunities like those in towns.
“Additionally, the Ministry of ICT should be engaged to cover all schools in the country and Beitbridge East is far behind in ICT penetration.
We also wish to have a boarding school in the constituency as we are the only in Mat South without any,” said Mr Singo. — @tupeyo
Article Source: The Chronicle