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Over 600 Schools to Reopen in Absence of Portable Water Sources

As schools reopen on September 7, Zodiak finds that over 600 schools are operating without water supply sources in the country, a development most stakeholders feel will negatively affect the fight against the spread of Corona virus. 

This came to light on Thursday when Minister of Education Science and Technology Agnes Nyalonje appreciated how schools have prepared to cushion the spread of the virus when schools reopen.

Of these about 400 are primary schools while over 200 are secondary schools.

Some teachers from one of the schools in Mzimba South told Zodiak Online that they can foresee sanitation and hygiene challenges once schools open.

On condition of anonymity, the teachers said this has been a challenge for long now despite lodging various complaints to stakeholders.

"Since this school was opened over 14 years ago, we have had no water source, not even a borehole. The surrounding villages have only one borehole which is very far from the school and it’s also in a dilapidated shape,” explained a teacher in Chasato Educational Zone. 

However, Minister of Education Agness Nyalonje said her ministry is working around a plan where leaners will be asked to bring water from home once schools reopen while waiting for long term solutions. 

"We allowed ourselves to run education without reliable water supply. Now Covid-19 has caught up with us, we are in a situation when we need water. We are appealing to school committees and the surrounding communities including non-state players such as the Water Aid to help in finding solutions,” explained Nyalonje.

Government announced that schools will reopen on September 7, after they were closed in March this year in order to halt the spread of the novel Corona virus.

 

 

 

 

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Last modified on Friday, 04/09/2020

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