PARENTS and guardians of children attending Ndyarima Primary School in the remote Buhera district of Manicaland province have applauded the solarisation project implemented by the United Nations Children Education Fund (Unicef), in collaboration with the government, for availing electricity at the school.
Before the introduction of the solarisation project in 2023 by Unicef, funded by the United Kingdom government, it was a nightmare for the authorities to effectively run the school which continually recorded poor pass rates.
Premises were not properly secured due to darkness.
Night lessons have since been introduced at the school, with children being accompanied by their parents and guardians to night lessons, leading to improved pass rates at the institution.
The pass rate at the school has since improved from 39% in 2023 to 60% in last year's results.
In an interview with journalists during a media tour of the district, Ndyarima's school development committee chairperson Jefter Pedzisai applauded the solarisation programme which was implemented in 2023.
Journalists were on a media tour in Buhera and Nyanga districts to witness the progress of learning passports, a Unicef-developed programme powered by Microsoft Community Training.
It was designed and launched by the government in 2021 in partnership with Unicef after schools were solarised through the Education Development Fund programme.
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“We are happy with the solarisation programme as we now have 24 hours of electricity. As parents, we are happy, we have seen an improved pass rate at our school,” he said.
Ndyarima school head, Wilfoce Bashukwa, applauded the solarisation project.
“We have benefited from the project since September 2023. We now have a 24-hour electricity service. This is helping our school with learning passports and we made strides in our pass rate in 2023.
“We are making use of the ICT gadgets and our pupils are now coming to school at night accompanied by parents and guardians for night lessons.
“We had pupils who could not even write their names, but through night lessons, we have seen a great improvement. We are very happy with the solarisation programme at the school,” he said.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro, who was part of the tour, also applauded the project.
