The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT will pay school fees for all children who lost parents and guardians during the recent Cyclone Idai as well as provide books to learners in all areas affected by the devastating tropical storm, a Cabinet Minister has said.
More than 364 people died after Cyclone Idai ravaged the eastern parts of Zimbabwe on March 15 and 16 this year with Ngangu Township and villages in Rusitu Valley in Chimanimani district being some of the hardest hit.
In an interview on the sidelines of his tour of schools in Chimanimani district on second term opening day on Tuesday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavhima said Government will pay school fees for all children who lost parents and guardians during the recent Cyclone Idai as well as provide books to learners in all areas affected by the devastating tropical storm.
Professor Mavhima said food will also be provided in schools in areas affected by Cyclone Idai.
“We have already instructed headmasters to compile lists of pupils that lost parents or guardians during Cyclone Idai. As Government, we pay school fees for all children who lost parents and guardians during the recent Cyclone Idai as well as provide books to learners.
“We are happy that distribution of books has already started in some areas and we will make sure there are adequate books in schools located in all those areas that were affected by the cyclone,” said Minister Mavhima.
The Primary and Secondary Education Minister said all schools in Chimanimani managed to conduct normal lessons on opening day while repairing of damaged infrastructure in schools is almost complete.
“We are also excited that all schools in Chimanimani and Chipinge opened for second term just like all the other schools in areas that were not affected by the cyclone.
“As you can see here at Ngangu Primary, repairing of damaged infrastructure in schools is almost complete. The good thing is that in some instances we are actually placing better facilities than what was previously there,” he said.
Among the schools that Minister Mavhima toured on Tuesday are Ngangu Primary, Chimanimani Secondary, Vimba Primary, Kwirire Primary, Mutsvangwa Primary and Secondary.
After Cyclone Idai hit the country, Government and its stakeholders worked overtime to ensure schools in the areas affected are ready for reopening of the second term.
When The Manica Post visited Ngangu Primary and Chimanimani Secondary schools on Tuesday, teachers and learners were going about their normal lessons with more than 80 percent of learners in attendance while a 100 percent staff turnout was recorded at Ngangu Primary and Chimanimani Secondary.
