BY ABIGIRL KHUPE
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is committed to addressing the issue of non-Kalanga speaking teachers at Tsukuru Primary School in Bulilima, Plumtree.
The Deputy minister for Primary and Secondary Education Honorable Edgar Moyo revealed this after a tour of the school on Monday.
The tour comes after parents with pupils at the school complained of non-Ndebele speaking teachers who were not proficient in local languages.
Speaking to CITE, the deputy minister said the issue of language is very sensitive and needs to be addressed swiftly.
“I have directed the district to make sure in the next recruitment, Ndebele speaking teachers are deployed in Tsukuru,” said Moyo.
He said Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes should be taught by Kalanga speaking teachers as per requirement by the Ministry.
“I engaged with the district to deploy locals especially at ECD level. This level is very crucial and children need to be taught in their mother tongue language,” highlighted Moyo.
Moyo also noted the dilapidated infrastructure of the school, and called for the diaspora community to pitch in and help in reviving both classrooms and staff rooms.
The school was built in 1953.
“Tsukuru is an old school, infrastructure is very old. If there are strong winds, classrooms may fall. I encouraged the community to decommission some of the classrooms because they are a danger to learners.
“Tsukuru have a strong diaspora community. Their homes are well built, they have satellite dishes and television sets but in contrast, the school is in a sorry state.
“I encouraged parents to engage with their children in diaspora so they can raise funds and renovate the school.”
Moyo said he advised the district office to apply for rehabilitation funds from the Ministry so that they could be assisted in refurbishing the school.
The Deputy Minister also visited Hingwe primary School, which had similar challenges as Tsukuru.
Bulilima West MP Dingimuzi Phuti who had accompanied the deputy minister expressed delight, hoping the Ministry would act swiftly on issues affecting schools in Bulilima.
“The Minister witnessed for himself the state of schools in my constituency. Both Tsukuru and Hingwe are case studies of how schools are in our district.
“The tour was a fruitful,” said Phuti.
