Water Woes Expose Hwange Rural Pupils To COVID -19

Most rural schools in Hwange are underdeveloped and lack basic amenities. Image by Rutendo Mapfumo | The Citizen Bulletin

BY RUTENDO MAPFUMO | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | OCT 9, 2020

Without running water and proper infrastructure, a secondary school in Hwange is at high risk of exposing pupils to the Coronavirus.

HWANGE (The Citizen Bulletin) — Shortage of a reliable water source within school premises and overpopulation of pupils in dormitories are some of the challenges exposing Neshaya Secondary School pupils to COVID -19.

The pupils, who are confined to one block, come from various rural areas in Hwange district, with the furthest coming from 17 kilometers away. The secondary school which was established to accommodate pupils who live far away from the school has had its fair share of outbreaks of diseases which are associated with unhygienic practices.

The self-catering boarding facility accommodates approximately 400 boys and girls who come from communal areas such as Musuna, Gwaai Mouth, Nkandebwe hills and Kasase village. At one side of the dormitories, empty 20 litre buckets are piled to create space. Pots and plates are placed at the other side of the dormitory as the pupils use the rooms to keep their kitchen utensils.

The hostels used by pupils are overcrowded and double as classrooms. Image by Rutendo Mapfumo | The Citizen Bulletin

Samson Ndoro who has a daughter at the boarding school cannot hide his feelings as he expresses his concern on the living conditions of Neshaya secondary pupils.

“My daughter who is in form three has no choice but to stay in these boarding facilities so that she is closer to the school, of course it’s a good initiative but the school has scarce water.”

Samson Ndoro, a father

Ndoro says students who are at this self-catering boarding facility should be monitored to maintain good hygienic standards.

A resident teacher who prefers anonymity says the pupils usually get water from well-wishers who bring water tanks to the school.

“Despite the fact that the school is near the Zambezi river, it has faced financial constraints to pump water from the river, this has led to well-wishers from the Roman Catholic to bring water for the pupils, which they use for cooking and bathing,” says the teacher.

Some classrooms have been turned into dormitories, while the actual small dormitories accommodate 10 girls per room.

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Community members have raised concern over the living conditions of the pupils at this school.

Christopher Siamapena (68) of Kasase village says Neshaya Secondary was established with good cause. It is so close to Zambezi River yet the pupils have limited access to water.

According to Lindiwe Muumba, an elderly woman from Neshaya, attempts have been made to engage the local leaders of the community, to assist the pupils as well as the teachers in making the school conducive to everyone.

“We have requested for a mobile clinic at the school because the nearest clinic to the school is Mwemba clinic which is 10 kilometers away from the school. We have tried to engage our local leaders concerning this predicament, but it was to no avail,” she says.

However, the Chief Executive Officer for Hwange Rural District Council, Phindile Ncube has urged Hwange stakeholders to assist in drilling boreholes for the school as well as the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the rural schools and assist in the construction of the boarding facilities.

“It is every child’s right to learn in a safe environment, I therefore encourage stakeholders such as the mines operating in Hwange and the government to help the Neshaya Secondary Pupils and Teachers.”

Phindile Ncube, Hwange Rural District Council CEO

Ncube has applauded the efforts made by well-wishers such as Father Tim Peacock in expanding the hostels for the pupils.

Father Tim says he had to concentrate on improving the hostels which have been built at Neshaya Secondary school especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Despite the economic challenges left by the COVID -19 global pandemic Father Tim still finds it in his heart to build hostels for pupils in order to observe social distancing to the once overcrowded dormitories. Image by Rutendo Mapfumo | The Citizen Bulletin

“Up until now the girls - and boys – who needed accommodation were sleeping in the classrooms. Surely that is not a healthy situation and it leaves the girls vulnerable. The shutdown has been a challenge but on the other hand with the schools being empty for six months it gave us a free hand in our building work,” says Father Tim.

Neshaya Secondary school is one of the few affordable secondary schools in Hwange district which was established to accommodate low income communities. It has produced a fair pass rate of 51 percent in the previous year.

The central government’s treasury department released $350 million for the provision of Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) for learners when schools reopened. However, most rural schools in Hwange are still in dire need of PPEs and water.

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