Twelve learners at Chirimutsitu Primary School in Makoni South, Manicaland Province, narrowly escaped death after being struck by debris from their classroom roofs. This incident occurred last Tuesday when a whirlwind swept through the school.
The powerful winds blew off asbestos roofing sheets while classes were in session, causing students to run in different directions to find safety.
Unfortunately, the twelve students were hit by pieces of asbestos and sustained various injuries.
George Chidhakwa, the Makoni District Schools Inspector, confirmed the incident to The Manica Post, although he could not provide further details as he was away on official duty. He said:
Right now I am not in the district, but I have heard that one of our schools was damaged by strong winds, and some learners were injured.
Makoni Rural District Council Ward 18 representative, Councillor Simba Muzariri said:
There were strong winds that swept across the area, and affected the school on Tuesday afternoon around 12-midday.
The wind blew roofing sheets from two classrooms, and scattered them to the next block, damaging three classrooms’ asbestos in the process. Five classrooms were extensively damaged.
Learners and teachers were still in their classrooms when the incident happened.
12 learners were injured. They were hit by asbestos debris as they scurried for cover.
One learner suffered a deep cut on the head, and is admitted at Rusape General Hospital where his condition is stable. The other 11 were treated at Sangano Clinic and discharged.
Council officials and an independent contractor have carried an assessment which revealed that the cost of repairing the damage is US$4 130.
We are appealing to well-wishers, and development partners to come to the rescue of the school.
Council will play its part to repair the damaged classrooms, but we will welcome assistance from various quarters so that the school business quickly returns to normalcy.
Learners are still in a panic mode because each time there are some winds in the area, they rush out of the classrooms. This is what led to the injuries on Tuesday.
Councillor Muzariri said that there was a need to to train teachers and learners on safety and precaution measures to take during disasters to minimise injuries, and save lives.
Martin Chaburumunda, chairman of the Zimbabwe Rural Teachers’ Union, urged authorities—including the government, local councils, and churches—to improve school infrastructure through regular maintenance and upgrades.
He expressed sadness over the injuries sustained by 12 students at Chirimutsitu Primary School due to violent winds that blew off classroom roofs.
Chaburumunda acknowledged that while the incident was a natural disaster, there is a need for regular inspections to ensure the safety of classrooms and staff houses.
He said many school buildings are ageing and constructed from sub-standard materials, requiring urgent revamping.
Chaburumunda recommended planting trees around school grounds to serve as windbreakers and reduce the risk of similar incidents.
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