Qualified teachers shun Binga

THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government has disclosed that qualified teachers, mostly from other regions, were shunning teaching in Binga district due to lack of accommodation and poor infrastructure at the over 80 satellite schools in the area.

The Irene Zindi-led committee made the disclosure in its recent report on service delivery by local authorities.

"Binga Rural District Council has a total of 123 primary and 39 secondary schools, and out of these 63 are satellite primary schools and 25 are satellite secondary schools," read the committee report.

"The satellite schools do not have proper infrastructure in terms of classrooms and teachers' accommodation, and this was said to be a challenge to the district as qualified teachers are not willing to take up posts in Hwange."

The report also said most of the secondary schools lacked science laboratories, making it difficult for teachers to conduct science lessons.

"The committee was informed that Binga Rural District Council lacked resources for pegging of schools and, therefore, most schools remained unpegged and, therefore, unregistered as examination centres."

This comes amid reports that some parents in Binga were opposed to the deployment of non-Tonga speaking teachers, citing language barriers. The parents also argued that non-Tonga teachers contributed to the low pass rate recorded in the region because of their low understanding of the local languages.

The committee also noted that the district had inadequate health facilities and qualified health personnel.

"Siabuwa and Kariangwe Mission Hospitals need resident doctors because the distance travelled to access health services at the government district hospital is too long. Binga's health institutions in rural areas were not manned by State-registered nurses, which poses risk to patients because they are treated by people, who do not hold requisite qualifications."

The committee said Binga Rural District Council had one ambulance to service the whole district.