After school desks, investors should look into classrooms

MAGU District Commissioner, Khadija Nyembo, has made a call to investors to invest and provide assistance in the education sector in order to curb challenges pertaining to education, including shortage of classrooms in secondary and primary schools in the district.

Receiving support of 50 desks worth over 3mil/- from MBOGO Mining Company LTD here yesterday, Ms Nyembo said that investors also have to support on the availability of classrooms in order to improve education in the district.

“It is obvious that when pupils and students sit comfortably, it becomes easy for them to grasp what they are taught compared to when they sit on the floor, and the availability of desks in schools will help to create superlative learning environment,” said Ms Nyembo.

She said that investors have to invest then provide support in the education sector in order to reduce challenges that are facing the sector, including classroom shortages in some schools in the district.

The DC said that the 50 desks will be added on the more than 500 desks that were donated by the National Assembly office to curb the deficit, and will be given to different schools in Magu district after realising shortages some of the schools face.

Ms Nyembo noted that the district for the time being has 935 classrooms, admitting that demand is high as the district has a demand of 1340 classrooms, a situation that indicates that there is a possibility of pupils and students to miss classrooms.

The Mbogo Mining company Ltd’s Public Relations Officer, Mr James Edward said that the company is implementing their Social Corporate Responsibility by investing more in the education sector in the district by providing jobs for young people around the project.

He explained some of the support that has been provided by the company including construction of two classrooms at Ilendeja and Bukandwe primary schools, repairs of teachers toilets at Ilemeja primary school, 100 bags of cement to the DCs office, and timber value at over 600,000/.

Other support includes construction of a gate at Kisesa Police Station including one chair for the Office Commanding Section (OCS), adding that the mining company has spent over 99 mil/- in the 2014/2015 financial year.

He said that the desks provided formed part of their initiative aimed at supporting communities living around the mining project.

The company started its relationship with the community particularly at the investment area since 2014 when it started to operate fully, and they have been involved in development activities at Ihayabuyaga village.

The Magu District Executive Director, Mr Lutengano Mwalwiba, said that Magu District has 13 primary schools and 29 government secondary schools, and out of this number 19 are government schools while seven are public schools.