By Staff Reporter
Sazaume Primary School in Ward 29 of Zaka South Constituency is grappling with a severe water crisis affecting over 400 learners and staff for more than a decade.
The school has no reliable source of clean water, forcing leaners and teachers to rely on a shallow, one-meter deep, uncovered community well near the school during wet days.
The school head Wilfred Mutanda confirmed the sad development to TellZim saying the school relied on the river and efforts by other stakeholders earlier to sink a borehole failed as they only have dry holes.
“It is true, we have a water crisis here and we rely on the river and well, however, the responsible authority promised to drill a borehole when the water table subsides because currently it’s too high,” said the head.
Teachers who spoke to TellZim News said they were fetching water at an open well that is also open to anyone including cattle and other animals.
“Teachers and all the learners are currently relying on a shallow well that is open to anyone. Imagine if one decides to poison the well, there will be a disaster. If the well gets dry everyone at the school resort to the river and if it’s not flowing they dig small holes (Mufuku) to get water said the teacher.
This situation poses serious health risks due to potential water contamination. Consuming untreated water from these sources can lead to waterborne diseases,” said the teacher
Despite being established just after independence, Sazaume Primary has never had a safe, dedicated water source. The community borehole that previously served the school is said to have malfunctioned more than 15 years ago.
The school’s predicament highlights the urgent need for a reliable and safe water source to protect the health and well-being of learners and staff.
With no end to this crisis in sight, stakeholders called for immediate action to address this critical issue and provide Sazaume School with a sustainable solution to its water needs.
One teacher said it was a result of the dedication by the staff and the head that teachers stay at the school otherwise they would have left to f schools with better facilities.
The situation is however not peculiar to Sazaume as many other schools are in the same or worse situation.
Mukwirimba Primary School in Zaka North has an almost similar situation and a council report in the last full council meeting said the local authority would sink a borehole. The school will pay for the borehole on flexible terms.
