The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sunday News Correspondent
SIPEPA Primary School in the flood hit Tsholotsho District has appealed for more Early Childhood Development (ECD) educational material as the school struggles to cope with a continued influx of relocated pupils. The school’s intake more than doubled overnight as they had to accommodate pupils from two schools that were forced to close by floods that hit Tsholotsho following incessant rains. Sipepa School’s intake rose from 343 pupils to 724 after taking pupils from Matupula and Mahlaba Primary Schools.
Speaking after receiving a donation of assorted educational material that included ECD material from bookshop and stationery retailers, Book-Rite Marketing, Sipepa headmaster Mr Hoxton Ncube said while they have received material assistance none of it was directed towards ECD pupils. He said it was a critical area that was seemingly forgotten. “We have been pleasantly surprised by this donation because it contains ECD material that no one has donated so far.
The books we have received are for Grade Ones going upwards. We are grateful for this gesture as it improves our ability to discharge our duties particularly where it concerns ECD pupils,” said Mr Ncube. Book-Rite’s donation included 1 500 exercise books, 200 Eversharp pens, 144 pencils, 50 ECD textbooks, 20 ECD toy dolls, 20 ECD toy cars, 10 ECD mini laptops and 10 puzzle abacus all valued at $800. “We had 343 pupils and took in 209 from Matupula and 172 from Mahlaba.
We squeezed them into our classes although this led to overcrowding, we managed to continue with teaching. Unicef assisted with tents that have been turned into classrooms while Tsholotsho North MP Professor Jonathan Moyo chipped in with new curriculum textbooks, chairs, desks and movable boards. We hope the attention will now turn to ECD that is also in need.
Book-Rite has set the right lead, I hope others will do likewise and follow suit,” he said. Book-Rite director Mrs Nokuthula Donga said they were moved by the plight of pupils in Tsholotsho when schools were forced to close due to the floods and felt compelled to assist.
