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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Prominent Beitbridge traditional leader Chief David Stauze has challenged Government to build more schools in the district where some pupils are walking up to 15km daily. He bemoaned the high school dropout rate in Beitbridge and appealed to Government and development partners to build more schools in the district.

The chief said the shortage of schools was behind the high dropout rate, particularly at secondary school level.
“We are appealing to Government and its partners to come to our rescue because our wish is to have at least five primary schools and two secondary schools per ward.

“It is disheartening to see children walking for more than 10km daily to school. Education is one of the key pillars of nation building and economic development, hence we need serious investment in that sector,” said Chief Stauze.
He said members of the Beitbridge community were willing to partner both Government and development agencies in constructing schools.

Chief Stauze pointed out that though Government has opened a few satellite schools around the district, these were not enough to cater for the increasing population.

He said secondary education has literally became less attractive in Beitbridge due to the long distances between feeder primary and upper schools.
“We have a serious shortage of schools mostly in the remote parts of the district. It is also important for Government to continuously consult and engage traditional leaders when implementing infrastructural development programmes.

“You will note that priorities differ from area to area and hence traditional leaders and communities should be engaged before some projects are rolled out,” said the chief.
Studies have revealed that the shortage of secondary schools in Beitbridge is a major contributory factor to an increase in teenage pregnancies and early child marriages in the district. Beitbridge has 65 primary and 15 secondary schools and an estimated rural population of 150 000.

Zimbabwe needs an estimated additional 2 000 new schools to meet the high demand for primary and secondary school places in the country, while Matabeleland South province is currently grappling with a deficit of 114 primary and secondary schools.