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Dr Lazarus Dokora

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Lazarus Dokora has said no school will be closed in Matabeleland South province for low enrolment as earlier reported.

Dr Dokora said Government had no such a policy and there was therefore no reason for schools with no enrolment to panic.

Last week Dr Dokora’s permanent secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango was quoted on ZBC news saying Government was considering closing 40 schools in Matabeleland South as they were failing to attract learners.

Dr Utete-Masango allegedly said some schools in the province have a low enrolment of below 120 pupils per school at primary level and less than 140 per school at secondary level.

In an interview last Friday, Dr Dokora distanced himself from the planned closure of schools saying it was not Government policy.

“If its policy, it would be me making the statement. Ask the person who said so,” said Dr Dokora, as he declined to further comment on the matter.

Dr Utete-Masango yesterday said she had not told the national broadcaster that Government was considering closing some schools in Matabeleland South saying she was quoted out of context.

“I never said we are closing 40 schools. I don’t know what you are trying to achieve through that. So really I cannot say anything. That was a lie and sometimes you don’t tell it in context. What was the question that was asked? It doesn’t appear and then you have the report as if someone came from the blues uttering something that is very nonsensical,” said Dr Utete-Masango.

She said it will be illogical for the Ministry to shut down schools when there is a deficit of learning institutions.

“You can’t just go and close a school. Why will we close schools while we are constructing. There is a deficit of 2 056 schools and we need to build more instead of closing those that are there. Does it make any logic? It doesn’t, that’s why I’m so surprised,” she said.

Dr Utete-Masango said today she will be in Matabeleland South for the periodic monitoring of the schools. — @nqotshili.