Zambia: Zimba Secondary School is struggling with a severe shortage of water in their premises. In light of the shortage, the school authorities are contemplating on not opening for the second term.
The shortage of water in the community forced the students to walk long distances to fetch water. The school authorities state that the students currently walk about one and half kilometres to town to fetch water in buckets.
The water is subsequently used for essential activities within the school, such as cooking, washing, bathing, and other chores. The water crisis came to light during a meeting called in by Robson Mulamfu, the District Commissioner of Zimba.
He hosted a fast-track meeting in the council chamber to update the district on various developments. During the meeting, District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Rita Mubita shared her views on the situation.
She suggested to the authorities that they should drill a bore hole at the school using Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation. The drilling work should be done by next week to ease the burden of the water crisis in the school.
The District Education Board Secretary spoke on the gravity of the situation for the students at the school. She said learners are facing the threat of disease outbreaks due to a lack of enough water at the school. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to drill a borehole next week,” she stated.
The meeting also directed the authorities to drill three other boreholes in Treasure Township, Namadula, and Malambo compound, respectively. “Zimba secondary school won’t open next term not until the water problem is addressed,” said Mubita.
The shortage of water has placed the school at risk of disease outbreak, she said. The country had struggled with a major outbreak of cholera in the first few three months of 2024.
As such, the authorities are doing their best to prevent any further outbreaks
District Administrative Officer Gift Hajongola called on the local authority to find the money to construct four boreholes in the central business district. The work should be done before learners and residents experience disease outbreaks.