CONSTRUCTION WORKS OF THE FIRST EVER GIRLS BOARDING SCHOOL IN CHIEF TEMBWE, CHAMA DISTRICT, REACHES ADVANCED STAGE

Father Jack Jones Katete

By White Luhanga

The Construction works of St Mary Anglican Girls Secondary Boarding School by Anglican Church in Chief Tembwe, Chama District of Eastern province, have advanced.

Anglican Children’s Programme Project (ACPP) Director Father Jack Jones Katete says already a 1×4 classroom block and some offices for the administrators have been constructed at the school.

Father Katete says so far works have reached above ninety percent (90%) completion and are ready to be used by the Ministry of Education (MoE) in partnership with the Anglican Church.

Fr. Katete says the school will have hostels accommodating 1000 pupils with toilets for both teachers and learners already constructed.

The ACPP Director says the project is being done in phases and is expected to be completed this year (2024) once resources are made available.

Fr. Katete added that the project is being done with the help of the community in the area, international volunteers and well-wishers.

Fr. Katete says soon the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) office will be engaged to help with provision of furniture, books, beds and mattresses for the girls to begin using the school as a boarding facility.

An elated Fr Katete, who has been spearheading the project, said the reason to construct the first ever Girls Boarding School was to help in eliminating Child Marriages and School Dropouts in Chama District.

“Girls who learn from co-education schools suffer abuse in many cases, traumatising pain inflicted by boys,” Fr. Katete said.

The ACPP Director says girls who rent some facilities as Boarding Houses in the community are also preyed by some men.

“Boarding school creates a safe haven for girls to complete their secondary education,” Father Katete said.

Fr. said instead of criticizing the Government, the Anglican Church embarked on a project of construction a school which he said will help many girls in the area realise their individual and collective academic dream.

And a delightful Chief Tembwe said the boarding school will allow girls to be kept in school as opposed to what is happening at the moment, when most if not all female learners remain vulnerable.

Chief Tembwe said this will help reduce the long distances that children walk to access the nearest secondary school which is several kilometres away. – Kwenje Community Radio 89.3FM