Potipher Tembo
29 April 2008
Ndola — Zambian girls who have for a long time been waiting for a technical school of their own (not including boys) have at long last got one.
This girls technical high school whose construction started in Ndola way back in 2005 and was scheduled to be completed by 2006 but the deadline could not be met. However, the institution is set to open when the new term starts next month.
Site engineer, Andrew Kalabassis explained last week that construction work at the school was almost complete and it was expected to open next month.
The institution will be the first technical school for girls in the country. The Zambian Government in 2004 procured a loan of US $6 million from OPEC Fund for International Development(OFID) out of which $4.2 million went for civil works, procurement of equipment and training of teaching staff some of whom are still in universities.
"The construction of the school was handed over in November 2004 but the actual construction started in 2005 in March. It meant to be a two-year duration construction and it would have been finished in 2006 but the deadline could not be met because of delayed acquisition of materials and heavy rains experienced in the past two years. We are now in the final phase," said Mr Kalabasis.
Recently, the school received machinery for wood and metal workshops, home economics, laboratory equipment and chemicals while some furniture had also been delivered.
Mr Kalabasis said this was a model school, which is the first of its kind for the girls in the country.
The school was put up to encourage girls take up practical subjects and this was a way of promoting them.
About 600 girls will be enrolled at the school which is a high school and will start from grade 10 to gradually go up to grade 12.
There is an establishment of about 40 teachers and 45 houses have been constructed. Going hand in hand with teachers' houses, six boreholes have been sunk and there is a self sustaining sewer system.
Apart from teachers and anxilliary staff houses, sports arenas for tennis, basketball, volleyball, football, netball and a running track for athletes have also been put in place.
According to Zambia Education Projects Implementation Unit (ZEPIU) manager purchasing and supply, Edward Simwanza, the project had been challenging.
"This project has been challenging and exciting. In 20 years or so, no school of this nature has been constructed. It is just like a university. The standards of the facility are very high," said Mr Simwanza.
An official from the Ministry of Education who decided to remain anonymous said the institution was a centre of excellence.
"This is a centre of excellence. It is the first girls' technical school and it is the best school in the country," said the official.
Mr Richard Kafwimbi, a parent who was found trying to secure a place for his daughter at the school said the institution was a source of inspiration not only to the pupils who will be schooling there but also to the teachers as everything seems to have been put in place for them.
"This is a very nice set up. I have seen a number of boarding schools but not one like this around. When I was told about the school here, I did not think I would find something like this. These are the kind of schools we see outside the country complete with sports amenities. These are high standards set. Even the pupils and the teachers will be motivated just by the set up. If they balance up the teachers, it will be wonderful," said Mr Kafwimbi who wishes his daughter could secure a place at the school.
Even before the school opens, a number of parents have been flocking to the institution to see how best they could acquire places for their daughters. They have been trying to find out what criteria would be used to secure places.
However, Copperbelt Provincial Education Officer, Muyangwa Kamutumwa hinted that the school was national and pupils were selected nationally according to the high marks they got.
He said since the school was a new one and not many people had known about it earlier, the required marks for one to get a place there was 470.
Mr Kamutumwa said the school would open in May starting with five grade 10 classes, then there will be grade 11 classes next year and grade 12 classes will be there the other year.
"Like the other technical schools, selection of pupils will be national and only those with very good results will find places there. Since this is a new school to cater for pupils from the Copperbelt, North Western, Central and Lusaka Provinces, only those with 470 marks will be eligible for places. In fact, selection has already been done and the school will open next term. Next year, we will be accepting those with 500 marks and above," said Mr Kamutumwa.
During his familiarisation tour to the school in January this year, Finance and National Planning Minister Ng'andu Magande said the Government wanted to equip girls with technical knowledge as they were key to development.
He said it was unfortunate that even though the mining sector was a big employer in the country, 99 per cent of the employees in the industry were male.
"We want to equip girls with technical knowledge so that they also get employed by the mining sector. This school will help a lot to achieve this goal," said Mr Magande.
The school is situated near where the plane carrying former general secretary of the United Nations, Dag Hammerskjoeld, crashed in 1960 killing all the people on board.
Once the school opens, it will contribute to the tourism potential that the Dag Hammerskjoeld crash site has. This would also attract other investors to settle in the area which also accommodates a number of farmers.
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