The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube
OVER 11 000 pupils walking long distances to schools have received bicycles under the World Vision-led Bicycle Education Empowerment Programme (BEP).
Speaking during a handover of 260 bicycles to Bulu High School pupils in Mangwe District to mark the launch of the programme in the district, BEP co-ordinator Ms Irene Mulunjwana said 100 schools had benefited under the programme.
“The BEP programme was crafted to assist girl pupils who have to walk long distances to school. It’s a subsidiary of the Improving Girls Access through Transforming (Igate) Programme.
“Long distances are one of the major reasons why girl children are failing to complete their studies. However, the programme also incorporates the boy child,’’ said Ms Mulunjwana.
She said the bicycles had been distributed in four districts out of 10 where the Igate programme was running.
She said the bicycle distribution programme which was launched last year in July would roll out to other districts soon.
Ms Mulunjwana said they had identified districts where children were severely affected by long distances.
“Ninety seven primary schools and three secondary have benefited so far. More schools are set to benefit as we are yet to acquire more bicycles.
“We have so far distributed bicycles in Binga, Beitbridge, Mberengwa and Mangwe. The worst affected of these is Beitbridge where we recorded cases of primary pupils walking 40 km to and from school,’’ she said.
Ms Mulunjwana said the number of bicycles given to each school was determined by the enrolment.
She said they had acquired 1 800 bicycles for Mangwe District which were going to be distributed in 14 schools.
She said committees had been formed in schools to compile a list of beneficiaries.
“The child who is being given first priority is the one who lives the furthest. We furnished committees with guidelines stating this as well as other requirements.
“We also trained a mechanic in each community who will be responsible for the bicycle repairs,’’ she said.
Ms Mulunjwana said each bicycle had a contract and after every two years the committee had to carry out an audit to ensure that all bicycles were serving their desired purpose.
She said the committees had to ensure proper administration of the bicycles.
She said out of each bicycle batch given to a school 70 percent of the beneficiaries had to be girls.
Mangwe District Education Officer Mr Headman Mpofu said the education policy required all pupils to access education without hindrances.
Mr Mpofu said primary pupils had to walk a maximum of 5km while secondary pupils had to travel up to 10 km to reach schools.
He said a number of children were unable to access schools because of long distances which caused high cases of school drop outs.
“Long distances have a lot of disadvantages especially to the girl child. Girls are falling pregnant while at school because of these distances.
“These bicycles will go a long way in addressing this challenge. Rural pupils are unfortunate as they cannot access transport that can take them to school as with urban pupils,’’ said Mr Mpofu.
He said pupils who had benefited would have added time for their studies.
Mr Mpofu noted that the Igate programme had to incorporate pupils with physical challenges who had to walk long distances to schools.
Also speaking at the same event, Mangwe National House of Assembly Member Mr Obedingwa Mguni applauded World Vision for running the programme.
He said NGOs that were operating within communities had to follow suit and hold programmes with tangible results.
He urged parents with children that received bicycles to desist from diverting them.
“Let these bicycles benefit children as expected. We don’t want to receive reports that parents have confiscated them at the expense of children attending school.
“Let the pupils who have received the bicycles embrace this opportunity. Most important of all could school pupils focus on pursuing their studies and not dropping out of school and rush to work in the neighbouring countries without certificates,” he said.
