Valukhalo Sec School gets furniture
VALUKHALO Secondary School in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South has received laboratory furniture worth $8 100 from a local manufacturing company, W2 Industries.
Speaking at a ceremony to officially hand over the furniture and commission two classroom blocks at the school last Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Slyvia UteteMasango urged school authorities to develop infrastructure at the learning institutions to cater for teachers.
“I’m impressed by the level of development which has taken place at this school and I would like to urge headmasters from others schools to imitate this good example. It’s a pity that some school heads are not initiating any development in their schools especially those that were built a long time back. While focus is being directed towards building classroom blocks to accommodate learners there is also need to prioritise staff cottages. As a ministry we expect ideal accommodation for teachers. This will also help you as schools to attract teachers,” she said.
Dr Utete-Masango said her ministry approached W2 Industries seeking furniture for Valukhalo Secondary School. She said the Science laboratory equipment will go a long way in assisting the school in implementing the new curriculum.
She said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education was conducting an inspection exercise in selected schools across the country. Dr Utete-Masango said her team had visited schools in Matobo and Mangwe Districts and they were set to visit Bulilima Schools. She said the ministry was pleased as schools had started implementing the new curriculum. She appealed with partners in the public and private sector to assist in promoting conducive environments for learners.
“I would like to urge all stakeholders to assist towards creating conducive environments for learners. Most important of all I would like to urge parents to pay their fees. They can pay with whatever resource they have, be it livestock, bricks or crop harvest. In turn schools have to use these resources to start projects to help generate extra money for the school,” she said
Dr Utete-Masango also handed over a registration certificate to the school which has been operating as a satellite. The school was opened in May 2013 with pupils learning while sitting on the floor in a community hall which also doubled as a condom distribution point.
The teachers were forced to reside at the backyard of a local bottle store while others were staying with community members. In 2014 and 2015 the enrolment increased forcing pupils to learn under trees as the community hall could not accommodate all of them.
The school headmistress, Ms Region Dube said the school now had three classroom blocks and an enrolment of 280 learners and 11 teachers. She said the school was however, struggling in implementing the new curriculum due to shortage of learning resources and specialists classrooms. Ms Dube said the school had managed to build three classroom blocks with assistance of various partners. She appealed with well wishers to assist the school in building more structures.