School In Mazowe At Risk of Collapse Due To Mining Activities
Shingirirayi Secondary School in Mazowe District, Mashonaland Central Province, is facing collapse due to encroaching small-scale mining activities, and the nearby Jumbo Mine, reported The Sunday Mail.
Established in 1987 with 400 students, the school is situated in an area heavily impacted by mining.
A recent report from the Mashonaland Central Province mines and explosives inspectorate noted significant damage to teachers’ houses and roads near the school, as well as environmental hazards including dust, blasts, and noise.
The report recommended the immediate evacuation of both learners and teachers to ensure their safety. Part of the report reads:
In view of the above, and in the interest of safety and health of learners at the school and promotion of environmental protection best practices, the inspectorate recommends relocation of the school.
Taungana Ndoro, Director of Communications and Advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, said they had engaged the Ministry of Mines, EMA, and local leaders and are assessing the situation.
Ndoro said immediate steps include working with the Department of Civil Protection and local stakeholders.
Authorities are also evaluating the possibility of temporarily or permanently relocating the school. Said Ndoro:
A task force comprising education, mining and environmental experts to oversee these interventions is also being mooted.
The ministry recognises that this challenge extends beyond Shingirirayi Secondary School. To protect schools nationwide, we are establishing clear guidelines for siting schools away from high-risk zones and reviewing existing infrastructure in mining areas…
We urge mining operators, communities and policymakers to join us in prioritising education and child welfare above all else.
Updates on Shingirirayi Secondary School and broader interventions will be shared transparently as developments unfold.
EMA spokesperson Amkela Sidange urged mining companies to practice responsible mining that prioritises environmental protection. She said:
In cases where there is dust, we encourage mining corporations to apply dust-suppressing measures.
The village head, Tungamirai Phiri, said relocating to a recreational facility is nowhere near a solution since it’s already degraded ground. He added:
Village heads, together with our councillor and chief, do not second relocation but rather spearhead perimeter wall construction, water and energy supply, humps construction and an awareness campaign as a measure to reduce school dropouts.
In 2023, the government closed Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe, Midlands province, after 18 students were injured when a classroom floor collapsed into an underground mining shaft.
Some of the learners fell into the shaft while others managed to escape through windows as the floor caved in.
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