Muzii
The ouncillor of Kabbe South Constituency in the Zambezi Region, John Likando, has expressed disappointment over the state of Muzii Combined School in the flood-prone area, some 80 kilometres east of Katima Mulilo.
The school, located on the flood plain, is visibly in a dreadful condition as the ceilings of most of the classrooms and staff offices are falling apart.
“I have called the media to come and see the state of the school, so that they can go and inform the nation,” Likando stressed. “I have also engaged the ministry of health and they promised to come and see how the school is.
“I believe that if they were here today they would close this school, as the smell is terrible and puts the health of both the teachers and learners at risk,” said Likando, who previously served as mayor of Katima Mulilo.
The situation has been worsened by bats which have been breeding in the roof for years. Their droppings (guano) have been piling up in the roof over many years, eventually causing the celling of the Grade 0 classroom to completely collapse over the past holiday.
“Luckily the ceiling fell down during the holiday while there were no classes. I can’t imagine what would have happened to the kids if it fell during the school term,” Alfred Mbala, a member of the school board said.
Mbala called on government to at least remove the dilapidated ceiling, particularly in the staff room, to prevent the likelihood of a resultant tragedy.
“They should come help us to remove this celling, as anytime it could fall,” Mbala pleaded.
Most classrooms have leaky ceilings where the wet guano droppings and urine of the bats continue to leak through into the classes every day. The bat excrement leaks onto the floor, thus putting both learners and teachers at risk of contracting disease.
“Cleaners sweep piles and piles of bat excrement every morning,” the principal of the School Christopher Ndeleki, elaborated.
He says he has reported the issue to the ministry of education circuit office. “I reported this issue to the Circuit Inspector. He is here and has seen the situation. Officials from the Ministry of Works were also here and they declared the matter an emergency – one that has to be attended to as soon as possible,” Ndeleki said.
Constructed in 1997 Muzii Combined School is just one of many schools constructed after Independence now in urgent need of renovations, again highlighting the poor workmanship at some of the schools funded by taxpayers.
Critics have accused contractors, who are awarded government tenders to construct schools, of using cheap materials and delivering shoddy workmanship while pocketing millions of dollars.