Traditional chiefs bemoans shortage of schools

CHIEFS from Binga have expressed concern at the shortage of schools in the district and complained that the few that are there were in a dilapidated state.

In an interview on Wednesday, Chief Siansali said children in Binga were learning under difficult conditions and implored the Government to take urgent steps to develop adequate infrastructure in schools.

"Binga has a very serious problem in the education sector and as chiefs we are not happy.

The infrastructure and learning material in our schools in not up to standard," said the outspoken chief.

"We do not have enough secondary schools and normally our children walk up to 20km to the nearest secondary school.

"To make matters worse none of these secondary schools has a science laboratory and science subjects are a nightmare to Binga pupils."

Chief Siansali said Binga communities had high a passion for education, but were failing to achieve their potential because of resource limitations.

"The Government should realise the potential that we have and support us.

"We need at least to have one school of excellence that will produce pupils with competitive passes.

"As a district we are keen to enhance educational levels in line with President Mugabe's dream of improved education standards," he said.

With the increasing population, the shortage of schools has become a national problem even in urban areas where some schools have resorted to hot-sitting, due to bloated enrolments.

While acknowledging the problem, the Government on the other hand said it did not have enough resources to build enough schools.

Chief Siansali also said majority of youths in Binga were not employed and urged the Government to relax licence fees for local people who want to venture into the fishing.

"We have a high number of school dropouts who are doing nothing.

"There are no industries in Binga except fishing but our youths are being closed out of fishing because of exorbitant licences fees," he said.