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Schoolchildren during a lesson in a pole and dagga classroom.

Herald Reporter
Zanu-PF legislator for Gokwe-Nembudziya, Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena, has pledged to build classroom blocks at a satellite school in his constituency where pupils have been learning under squalid conditions.Pupils have been using pole and mud huts as classrooms at Buno Primary School, which once collapsed and injured several pupils last term.

The satellite school, with an enrolment of 250 pupils from Early Childhood Development to Grade Seven and eight teachers, was established in 2012.

Speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of classroom blocks at the school on Monday, Cde Wadyajena expressed regret that the pupils had been subjected to such inhuman conditions.

“It is sad that we can have pupils learning under such conditions 34 years after independence,” he said.

“Construction of this school is in response to Zim-Asset’s cluster on Infrastructure and Utilities because Government wants to make sure we have the right infrastructure because we want pupils to learn under humane conditions.

“It is sad that some people had neglected this school and pupils, but we want to make sure that you have the same learning conditions as others.”

Cde Wadyajena said he had been advised that qualified teachers were also shunning the school because there was no accommodation.

The school headmaster — Mr Given Mteyiwa — said it was heartening that Cde Wadyajena pledged to address their plight.

“A few months ago, the wall collapsed and injured about 13 pupils, but now there won’t be another risk of the walls collapsing when we have proper structures,” he said.

“We are very grateful because of this gesture by our MP.  We used to have problems during the rainy season since we didn’t have proper roofing, so pupils would bunk school because the thatching at all the structures was leaking.”

Mr Mteyiwa said they did not have adequate textbooks at the school.

Buno Primary School pupils said they wanted to learn under normal conditions just like other pupils.

“We also want to learn where there are proper classroom blocks like other schools because we always miss school during the rainy season because of fear that the walls will collapse,” said a Grade Seven pupil.

“We also want a borehole because at the moment there is no water source nearby.”

Nearest primary schools in the area are about five kilometres from Buno.

Chief Nembudziya hailed Cde Wadyajena for promoting development, but implored the community to play a role in constructing the school.