Heavy rains destroy Harare school
HEAVY rains accompanied by strong winds destroyed property and uprooted trees earlier this week, leaving Widdecombe Primary School in Hatfield, Harare, in a sorry state.
The school had two of its classrooms roofs blown away, its security fence damaged by uprooted trees and parts of its pre-cast wall destroyed.
Narrating the situation, the school head Mr Weston Mudimu said the incident was a setback for the school.
“The damage happened on Sunday afternoon from around 2pm when a heavy downpour came with very strong winds. Most people were affected in the area, including the school,” he said.
“As to the extent of the damages, the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing are still working on the valuations.”
Speaking during the tour of the school, Primary and Secondary Education Permanent secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango said the ministry was working to ensure that repairs were done immediately.
“We have invited the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to inspect the school because this is a Government school and we expect them to also play a role in terms of ensuring that repairs are done before schools open,” she said. -
Dr Utete-Masango was, however, unhappy with the general outlook of the school.
She said the school showed signs of lack of maintenance and implored school authorities countrywide to ensure schools were properly maintained.
“Besides the damage caused by the disaster, I am not happy with the school in terms of its general outlook. We have our structures on the ground. We have the provincial structures, we have the district structures and they are meant to do their job.
“I have to call them to account. Definitely something has to be done before I revisit the school prior to its opening,” she said.
Widdecombe Primary school, with an enrolment of 2 000 pupils - was given a target to complete refurbishment of uneven grounds, cut grass and ensure the safety of pupils around its premises before January 9, 2018.
She said she expected school authorities to be professional and dedicated to duty even without close supervision.
“Inspections are done, but I expect that in a school where there is a head, a substantive head for that matter, that he or she would be proud of the school that he or she is superintending without anyone breathing behind their necks,” she said.
Dr Utete-Masango urged schools to put levies to good use.