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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
SECONDARY school pupils from distant villages in Bulilima District are allegedly offering sex to owners of houses that are close to their schools as payment for accommodation. Villagers from the district are constructing low cost boarding facilities at some secondary schools to help curb the accommodation challenge faced by pupils.

A number of the children are walking long distances for their education.

Councillor for Tshankwa Ward, Toni Mlotshwa, said the low-cost boarding facilities would reduce cases of exploitation of the girl child.

“Pupils learning at Sikhathini High School are being exploited sexually. Some of them are doubling as concubines as they’re sleeping with married men in exchange for a place to live near the school.

“Some of these children’s homes are as far as 30 kilometres away from the school. The pupils become desperate to secure accommodation near the school as they seek to conduct lessons without some disruptions,” he said.

Clr Mlotshwa said parents in his area have proposed to construct a boarding facility at Sikhathini High School.

He said some of the children that were renting huts around the school were living in crowded conditions with over 15 children occupying a single hut in certain circumstances.

Clr Mlotshwa said some girls were sharing rooms with their male counterparts.

“Children are forced to pay exorbitant amounts for the huts they occupy. Some are getting their rentals from their boyfriends in the diaspora. Some of the sleeping rooms double as kitchens and bedrooms while other girls sleep in the same room with boys,” he said.

Clr Mlotshwa said the boarding facility had been approved and community members had started mobilising resources.

He said the facility would cater for girls as they were at a high risk.

Clr Mlotshwa said a number of children were dropping out of school because of the accommodation challenges.

Bulilima Rural District Council’s social service committee chairperson, Clr Simon Sibanda, said pupils at Madlambudzi High School were also facing accommodation challenges. Presenting minutes at a full council meeting, Clr Sibanda said pupils were renting rooms at a residential area close to the school.

Clr Sibanda said it had come to the attention of the council that pupils were living in sub-standard houses.

“Most of the houses don’t have latrines and disposal pits which means there is open defecation. Water is also a problem as the only source of water for the residential area is the dam where animals also drink,” he said.

Clr Sibanda said the home owners had to be addressed to ensure that they provide pupils with a hygienic environment.

He said the council social services committee had also approved plans to construct a low cost boarding facility at Phakama Secondary School.

Clr Sibanda said pupils from distant places like Nyabane Village, which is about 30 km away, relied on the school.