Magwegwe High School students injured after classroom ceiling collapse

Several 'A' Level learners at Magwegwe High School in Bulawayo suffered injuries last Friday when a classroom ceiling collapsed during a lesson. The injured students were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital, where they were treated and later discharged.

Mr. Taungana Ndoro, the Director of Communications and Advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, confirmed the incident. While school authorities acted quickly to secure medical care for the students, some parents have expressed concerns about the lack of financial support for their children's medication.

One parent, whose child was among the 12 injured, said that although the school swiftly arranged medical treatment, there has been no assistance with purchasing medication for those who were discharged.

"My son was one of the five students whose injuries were more serious, and I had to buy pain medication for him after he was discharged. The students sustained bruises when the ceiling collapsed, and some had to be pulled out of the rubble by learners in the next classroom," said the concerned parent.

The parent added that despite a meeting on Tuesday between the headmaster and the School Development Committee (SDC), there was no mention of assistance for medication costs.

Magwegwe High School headmaster Mr. William Ncube declined to comment on the matter, referring all inquiries to Provincial Education Director (PED) Mr. Bernard Mazambane, who was unavailable for comment due to ongoing meetings.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of school infrastructure and the need for urgent repairs to prevent further accidents. Parents are calling for immediate action to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.