11 Community schools fail to open

GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA writes ELEVEN community schools in Mambwe district of Eastern Province could not reopen for examination classes on Monday due to lack of Covid-19 protective equipment. District Education Board Secretary (DEBS), Theresa Ngoma said the Community Schools with pupils in grade seven examination classes could not afford soap among other requirements needed to prevent the spread of the disease among the learners. However, the schools located in the remotest areas are expected to reopen soon following the donation of protective equipment worth thousands of Kwacha by Neria’s Investments limited. The donated items included 60 hand washing buckets, 60 liquid soap, 60 x 2.5 litres of hand sanitiser and 2,500 face masks. Speaking after receiving the items, Ms Ngoma thanked MalamboConstituency Member of Parliament (MP), Makebi Zulu for initiating  the donation that will give the under privileged learners an opportunity to get back in class.  She commended Neria’s Investments for the quick response. “I am very excited by this wonderful gesture as we have 6,000 pupils in examination classes. We will distribute these items to schools especially community schools who are yet to reopen as they have not met the health guidelines.  But with this donation, the schools will resume classes by Friday,” she said. Neria’s investments general manager Martin Chaikatisha said the children needed everyone’s support to grow into health citizens, which is not a job of government alone. “We felt obligated to respond to a request of the need to assist children in examination classes with materials to fight Covid-19. Eastern Province is our strong hold in terms of agriculture business, so we said let’s go and protect our children. By protecting them, we are encouraging them to go back to class with confidence amidst this pandemic,” said Mr Chaikatisha. Mr Zulu, who is also the Provincial Minister said government will continue to partner with the private sector to ensure every child despite the locality gets back to class. The Sun