…as rural kids walk over 15km daily to and from school
Faith Duri
With unwavering determination etched on their faces, a group of children carry the weight of their dreams as they embark on an extraordinary pilgrimage to get secondary education.
This is a story that unfolds with every step, as these young souls traverse long distances and treacherous terrains driven by unyielding thirst for knowledge, going to Chidzikwe or Mutenderende Secondary schools which are the only secondary schools in Summerton Resettlement area in Masvingo district.
Every day, secondary school kids from different pockets of the resettlement area, born out of the 1980s resettlement scheme as well as the 2000s’ Land Reform Programme have to endure walking distances of up to 20km to and from school every day.
Chidzikwe Secondary headmaster, Atwel Maposa confirmed that more than 50 secondary school children, some as young as 13, walk such long distances everyday to attend classes as they have very few to no options.
“More than 50 kids from areas like Piti, Mayo, Darwin and Darwish which are about 15 to 20km away from this school walk every day to and from school. Some have to leave their homes to school around 4 am every day for them to be at school by 7am.
“Parents rarely spend time with these children during the week because they leave home early and come back late.
“I have put an order at my school to dismiss these kids early so that they will get home before dark,” said the head.
One of the pupils who is set to write her ordinary level exams at Chidzikwe Secondary School from Piti area said she had to wake up early hours around 3am to do her chores and prepare to go to school.
“I barely have time to sleep because I wake up early and sleep late since I am a candidate preparing to write my O’ Level.
“My parents can’t afford to give me USD$1 every day to go to school by bus, sometimes I arrive at school late which is disturbing my studies as an O’ Level candidate,” she said.
A parent with a child that goes to Chidzikwe Secondary said the long distance take a toll on their children’s performance and he pleaded with responsible authorities to at least donate bicycles to these kids.
“We are pleading with responsible authorities to at least donate bicycles to these kids which will help them to arrive at school on time since there is no secondary school nearby yet.
“They leave home very early in the morning to walk about 15km to 20km to and from school. This will definitely affect their performances at school especially the ones writing their O’ Level this year,” said the parent.
Speaking to TellZim News the newly elected councilor for Ward 6 Piti area Eric Masoka said he just got elected but he will make sure that a school will be built in the affected areas.
“I just got elected but l will make sure that a secondary school will be built in my Ward so as to cut the distance these kids walk,” said Masoka.
Sources however said almost 50percent of the kids who stay at those areas are not able to finish school due to the distance to school.
“If we were to do research in that area almost 50percent of kids in those areas rarely finish school up to O’ Level because of the distance.
“Also, it is a risk especially to the girl child because they have to risk leaving home at 4am, exposing them to rape along the way,” said the source.
