By MAPULANGA LIBINGA –
DESPITE the directive by the Ministry of Education to ban schools without good sanitation facilities from opening, Ndola’s Hands Compassion Community School has continued to operate without clean water supply.
The school, which is in Pamodzi Township, has no piped water and depends on a borehole, which is not operational now.
School head teacher Henry Kangali said the school depended on water from the shallow wells in the surrounding community.
Mr Kangali said the school, which caters for grades one to seven, was in need of piped water to help it operate efficiently and avoid the outbreak of water-borne diseases.
He appealed to the Government to help the school and resolve the water challenges that they have been facing.
“Pupils are just fetching water from the wells near the school and I am urgently asking for assistance from Government and other well-wishers in the wake of the cholera outbreak,” he said.
Mr Kangali said the school was recognised as an examination centre and that the facility had registered a record of high passing mark.
The head teacher said the school risked to be closed if the problem was not urgently attended to.
He said there was need for the Government and well-wishers to take keen interest in supporting the less privileged pupils in the community and those attending lessons at the school.
Meanwhile, Pamodzi Ward Councillor Manase Siwila has donated 500 books, 150 pencils, three bags of mealie meal, including plates for use by the pupils.
Mr Siwila said his vision was to ensure that an educated community was realised as per Government’s plan to ensure an educated and informed nation.
The councillor pledged to continue helping members of the community and that there was need to promote the culture of working as a team to promote development in the communities.