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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

UNICEF has availed funding to repair 35 schools that were severely damaged by floods early this year in Matabeleland North province, with each school expected to get $5 000.

Matabeleland North Provincial Education Director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni said the damaged schools have already been identified.

Pupils at some schools in the province especially in Lupane and Tsholotsho have been learning in the open.

“We have schools that will get $5 000 each from Unicef for repairs. Off hand I remember Bubi, Hwange and Tsholotsho districts which have five schools each but we submitted a total of 35 schools from the province. We are waiting for confirmation as we haven’t had a roundtable to get final details about each beneficiary,” said Mrs Mnguni.

She said each district was expected to forward a list of its priority areas.

“Funds are already there while inception meetings have been done. We hope all the work will be done before the next rainy season,” said Mrs Mguni.

Hwange District Administrator Mr Simon Muleya said a working committee had been constituted to spearhead the programme in the district.

Members of the committee are drawn from the district administrator’s office, Hwange Rural District Council, Ministry of Education, Public Works as well as the District Development Fund (DDF). Mr Muleya said a multi-sectorial team was in the process of quantifying the damage at schools around the province. — @ncubeleon