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Freedom Mupanedemo

Midlands Bureau

Heavy rains that have pounded most parts of the country since Sunday have forced authorities at Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe City to suspend lessons after makeshift tents used as classrooms were soaked.

The school was forced to relocate to Sally Mugabe (Russell) Primary School grounds after its infrastructure including classrooms collapsed due to illegal mining activities.

The Civil Protection Unit facilitated and pitched tents which the school has been using as makeshift classrooms and offices for teachers.

Some tents, however, collapsed while others were soaked in water due to heavy rains forcing teachers to abandon lessons. 

Kwekwe District CPU chair, Mr Fortune Mpungu said there was a team on the ground trying to fix the tents.

He said lessons will resume as soon as the tents are fixed.

“Lesson have just been disrupted but as soon as we fix the problem the lessons will resume,” he said.

Mr Mpungu said for the safety of teachers and learners, they will continue to closely monitor the situation.

“We cannot put the lives of learners and their teachers in danger, so depending on the situation, we can suspend lessons so that lives are not endangered. 

“But we will see the situation tomorrow and if it continues, we will have to suspend the learning process indefinitely until normalcy returns,” he said.

“We are just finalising the last parts of the paperwork required so that we have an offer letter from the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development and start construction. Plans are that we start with transferring the tents to the new site where we put concrete floors and ablution facilities so that the children can move from the school grounds,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said the terrain at the current camp ground was prone to flooding.

“The terrain at the current campsite is prone to flooding. If we managed to move to the new camp ground, that would help,” he said. 

Government recommended the relocation of Globe and Phoenix School and construction of the new school so that the children can learn from a conducive and safe environment.