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Leonorah Ncube in Victoria Falls
MASUWE Secondary School, a new build from last year, thanks to a local hospitality group, was supposed to transform the lives of its students. The goal was simple — shorten punishing commutes, reduce absenteeism and dropouts, and shield children from the dangers of human-wildlife conflict. Yet, halfway through its first term, a stark reality has emerged — all 33 enrolled pupils are still waiting for their first lesson. The school, it seems, can’t find any teachers.

Masuwe Secondary School is located in the Masuwe Resettlement area outside Victoria Falls and comprises a single block built by the owners of the Stanley and Livingstone Hotel, adjacent to Masuwe Primary School.

It was intended to serve secondary school learners from Masuwe and Sikabela. Matetsi Secondary School is the only secondary school in the Hwange Ward 1 area, covering all resettlement areas: Breakfast, Lubangwe, Railway Farm, Masuwe, Matetsi, and Sikabela.

The majority of children from these resettlement areas attend Matetsi Secondary, where they stay in makeshift boarding facilities, while some go to Ndlovu Secondary, which also has a small boarding facility.

Jabulani and Sizinda secondary schools are also distant, and walking or cycling there is impossible due to the presence of wild animals.\

Masuwe Secondary School

Because of the distance and the danger posed by wild animals, no one walks to these secondary schools from the resettlements. As a result, those who cannot afford boarding fees or have no relatives to move in within Victoria Falls have dropped out of school, contributing to early marriages and teenage pregnancies.

The opening of Masuwe Secondary was meant to bring education to the doorstep of these children, but this dream is fading fast.

Chronicle has learned that the school has enrolled 25 Form One and eight Form Two learners, a total of 33. The community has been told that a school needs a minimum of 80 learners to be allocated five teachers, the minimum requirement for a learning institution according to Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education standards.

A shortage of teachers in the Hwange District is also compounding the situation. The 33 learners have been advised to enrol elsewhere pending the formalisation of the school.

Community leaders recently visited ministry offices to express their concerns and seek guidance.

They pleaded with the Government to allow the school to open and avoid denying children their right to education.

Woodlands headman, Mr Josphat Sipulila Mpofu, appealed to the authorities to consider the community’s unique circumstances and population, which makes it difficult to reach the required 80 children.

“Secondary schools are too far, and fees are beyond the reach of many, hence we need a local school here. Many children drop out of school after completing Grade Seven, and this contributes to the high number of uneducated young people and drug abuse,” Mr Mpofu said.

Ward 1 Councillor Vulindlela Mhlanga said efforts were being made to open the school.

“There is a lot of work to be done in collaboration with the Ministry and Hwange Rural District Council to facilitate the annexation process and the deployment of teachers through the mother school.

“Engagements have taken place, and it was decided that opening the school this term is not possible. Efforts will be made to open it next term. For now, parents can temporarily enrol their children in the nearest schools while keeping their registration at Masuwe Secondary, awaiting its opening. It is our hope that Masuwe Secondary School will open soon; we will make it happen,” he said.

Clr Mhlanga said the ward has five primary schools and one secondary school.

He added that the opening of new schools is one of the projects he is pursuing, in line with the Government’s vision of access to education for all.