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| Turf Primary School |
Cephas Shava
MWENEZI— The long forgotten pupils at Turf Primary School in Mwenezi West’s Ward 15 who, since the school’s inception in 2003, have been operating without a single classroom block have lost all hope of getting even a single classroom block as they have been learning outside for 17 years and counting.
The situation at the satellite school personifies a forgotten institution with pupils exposed to the harsh weather conditions on daily basis.
Turf Primary School has an enrolment of 370 pupils conducting lessons in the open under trees while others sit on the ground under makeshift structures built of wooden poles and dagga with thatched roof.
So bad is the situation that pupils barely attend to lessons at the school as most of the times they are dismissed due to bad weather especially during the rainy season.
Teacher-in-charge Bernard Mahutse told TellZim News that they have since lost all hope because no aid has been send their was for the past 17 years.
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| Turf Primary School |
“Our problems are yet to be solved and we are just banking on a lot of unfulfilled promises that have been made so far. Given the nature of our learning facilities, the rainy season is making it difficult for lessons to be properly conducted,” said Mahutse.
Although Mahutse refused to open up on last year’s grade seven results, arguing that he is not authorised to speak to the media, TellZim News is reliably informed that as has become an annual norm the results were disastrous.
Most satellite schools in Mwenezi suffer an equally similar predicament as that of Turf Primary School with Masangula Primary School, which came into existence to serve the Tokwe Mukosi flood victims crying out for help as well.
Masangula Primary School which is in Mwenezi East Ward 13 has recorded poor pass rates over the years owing to the unconducive learning environment.
Ward 13 councillor, Takura Mudavose pleaded with the government to come and rescue most schools which are in deplorable states.
“At Masangula there are no classroom blocks except for some temporary substandard structures which cannot withstand the effects of the current rainy season such that pupils cannot attend lessons whenever it is raining.
“Most satellite schools really need a lot of attention for the benefit of both pupils and teachers,” said Mudavose.
Mwenezi district has a total of 172 schools from which 102 are satellite schools.
