The long walk to school for Ntondola children
Pini Bothoko | Friday May 16, 2014 16:49
The settlement, which years back had only a few scattered dwellings, now boasts of about 100 residents with their children schooling at Shangano Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Nshakazhogwe Primary School. When schools are open, it is common to see children in uniforms lining the road, either going to school or home. For the adolescents, it will be to and from Shangano located between Nshakazhogwe and Sebina. The pre-pubescent children would be heading either to or from Nshangazhogwe Primary School.
These children, from both the junior secondary and primary schools, cover a distance of roughly 30kms every weekday. Though both the parents and teachers have resigned themselves to the fate of their children, alarming cases of pregnancies among female students at Shangano are making caretakers rethink. And, the fact that small children walk along the Tutume-Sebina Road, does not sit well with parents, as they fear that their children could be run over by vehicles.
Other parents talk of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe who have been hired on the farms as another threat to the safety of their children.
Last year the school head of Shangano, Jabulani Nfila raised a concern over cases of teenage pregnancy. But he pointed out that a majority of learners who dropped out of school due to pregnancy were those residing in the neighbouring masimo (lands) and cattleposts of Sebina and Nshakazhogwe.
Residents said that they were concerned that their children walk distances and the female children could be vulnerable to advances from sexual predators.
Senior citizen, Chandapiwa Stephen who has been residing in Ntondola lands for more than 20 years said that her grandchildren refused to stay in Sebina with relatives, preferring to walk every morning to school.
She said that the walking distance is stressful but she always makes sure that she gives them combi fare so that they can arrive at school on time. “There are lots of combis from Tutume to Francistown. I give my grandchildren money for public transport, but at times they use transport money to buy sweets and fat cakes and prefer to walk after school,” she said.
Stephen, however said she was lucky because though her children also had to make the same journey, they managed to complete their studies without a hiccup.She said this was because she always made sure that she talked to them about the dangers of engaging in sexual activities at a tender age.
Koziba Mukhidzi 66 said that as parents they have joined teachers in the fight against teenage pregnancy. He said he hoped that it would bear fruit in the near future. He said that what worried them was that the learners were impregnated by men in the community and not their schoolmates.
“We are worried because falling pregnant shows that they had unprotected sex and it is a concern because it put their lives in danger as they can end up contracting Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STD) and HIV/AIDS,” said Mukhidzi.
Tabudzani Maphane, 37, is a mother of three schooling in Ntondola but staying in Sebina with her sister to be close to the schools.
Maphane said her children only visit them at the fields over the weekend. But she expressed sympathy with the parents of children walking long distances to and from schools. “As a mother I fear for the lives of these children. Anything might happen on their way to and from school. They walk near the busy Francistown-Tutume road. Another thing is that there are many illegal immigrants working in the farms and cattle posts. “ I do not trust them, especially with female learners,” said Maphane. She said that a majority of the learners prefer to stay with their parents at the fields than to be accommodated by relatives in Sebina or Nshakazhogwe.
On Tuesday Nfila said that though he was not in a position to disclose the figures of learners who drop out of school due to pregnancy, they were doing all they can to fight the situation. At the school there is a committee constituted by heads of department which Nfila said was doing all to curb the scourge of teenage pregnancy.
“We are hands-on in fighting this situation. The committee is working with the PTA to mobilise parents’ involvement in their children’s studies and a way of stopping pregnancy amongst learners,” he said.
Nfila said that recently through the leadership of the committee, they invited African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships to educate and sensitise learners on issues of teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. His earnest hope is that they will win the battle.