Classroom crisis hits Mumena school

—-Mumena Primary School in Solwezi district has been hit by a critical shortage of classroom accommodation while teachers’ houses are in a poor state which requires rehabilitation.

This came to light when North Western Province Permanent Secretary, Amos Malupenga, visited the school and held discussions with teachers. 

Mr Malupenga was on visit to check the site where the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) intends to build a 1 by 3 classroom block.

School head teacher, Luwi Saidi, told the PS that the school had never undergone any renovation since it was opened in 1950, adding that pupils are over-crowded forcing some classes to accommodate up to 91 pupils against the recommended 40 at a time.

And Mumena Ward councillor, Daison Kosamu, informed Mr Malupenga that the school also lacks water and depends on the only borehole which the pupils and teachers share with the community.

Mr Kosamu added that the community controls the hours of drawing water to avoid the well from running dry.

He appealed to the PS to find a lasting solution to the water problem at the school.

And Mr Malupenga thanked the UNHCR for its plan to build a classroom block at the learning institution.

The PS also promised to send a team of water engineers from the provincial administration to access the situation and find a lasting solution.