The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) says reports that 11 Schools in Mambwe district have not reopened due to lack of face masks and other necessities required to respond to Covid-19 is a great source of concern.
Organization Executive Director George Hamusunga told Money FM News in an interview that this is why ZANEC is of the view that the 24.9 million that was recently released by government as grant to the schools to buy the required protective materials is a drop in the ocean.
Mr. Hamusunga said the money is meant to benefit 1.2 million pupils which translates to K20 per child, hence it cannot carter for all the needs of the learning institutions.
“The reopening of examination classes is very important, but we expect government to put all the measures in place. To hear that there are 11 schools that have not opened because they do not have the relevant protective equipment for the children in the schools is very great source of concern.”
“This why we are saying that the 24.9 million Kwacha which was released by government is nothing, because we are looking at this money going to 1.2 million children and this translate to about 20 Kwacha per child. The Money is nothing it is a drop in the ocean,” Mr. Hamusunga said.
He advised government not to pursue the preparedness of the schools alone but engage other stakeholders such as community members, private sector, business men and women to help support the schools within their localities in order for them to have adequate materials.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hamusunga says the pupils in the schools which have failed to reopen have already lost so much time when their friends are learning, hence they will be disadvantaged during examination time because they will be expected to write the same exams.
“If these children have lost so much time already when others are learning, and we don’t know when those schools are going to open but when the exam comes, it will be the same examination.”
“It is very unfortunate and we hope that the Ministry of General Education will provide leadership in ensuring that the various stakeholders are approached to support these schools and we have all the schools open,” he said.
He has however commended the schools for the decision not to reopen the learning institutions in order to protect the health of the pupils.
Eleven schools in Mambwe have failed to reopen because most pupils cannot afford face masks and the schools have been given a two day ultimatum by the health authorities to provide the required materials such as hand washing facilities.