SYDNEY MUBAIWA
MIDLANDS BUREAU CHIEF

MBERENGWA – Only eight of 157 primary and secondary schools in Mberengwa District have functional laboratories while only 21 have access to Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, district master planner Average Chigwenya has said.
He said the statistics are worrying and it makes it difficult for pupils to learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in an era where technology is the new driver of development.
“Schools in the district are failing to teach STEM subjects mainly because they have no infrastructure that could allow them to do so. Mberengwa schools do not have fully functional laboratories and Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure.
“Only eight schools in the whole district have functional laboratories which makes it difficult to teach relevant subjects. It is also difficult to include the majority of schools in the district in ICT as only 21 schools have functional ICT infrastructure,” he said.
Chigwenya also highlighted that there are few STEM teachers in the district owing to the deplorable working environment and there is a need to incentivize them through housing, tap water and electricity.
He also said that another factor is the dilapidated road network which has left schools and other basic facilities as clinics and shopping centres inaccessible.
“There is need to create incentives to attract STEM teachers in the district. This can be done through the provision of houses, water and electricity for teachers. All schools must teach STEM subjects so that we create a generation of STEM students that are able to participate in Science Technology Innovation initiatives,”
“The poor road network is also another hindering factor for teaching staff to come to the district as teachers prefer accessible schools. The poor road network is also making other schools inaccessible for supervision, hence it has been very difficult to manage them. A proposal has been made to electrify all schools with renewable energy through engaging development partners so that our schools can participate in ICT,” he said.