AfricaPress-Tanzania: UVINZA special education primary school in Uvinza District, Kigoma Region is facing a shortage of desks, teachers and poor infrastructure affecting pupil’s academic performance.
The schools infrastructure including classrooms dormitories are in bad condition forcing pupils to share beds and sit on the floor during learning sessions.
The school’s head teacher, Goma Kamani said this when briefing Education, Science and Technology Minister, Prof Joyce Ndalichako who visited the school yesterday. He said the school has a total of 480 pupils, among them, 197 are disabled.
According to Kamani, the school has six teachers who teach special education adding the actual demand is 20 teachers.
“We need more teachers for special education; we are facing a shortage of desks, this affects pupils’ performance academically because they do sit on the floor during learning sessions,” he added noting the dormitories are in bad condition with a limited number of beds.
The head teacher informed that construction of two dormitories has stopped over lack of funds. He said they had earlier received 150m/- form the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA) as well as 12m/- form the office of the district director in Uvinza, but they structures have not been completed.
He called upon the government to continue supporting the schools effort to improve infrastructures as well as learning facilities.
One of the teachers, Bahatisha Bisongwa said: “The standard teacher-pupil ratio for mentally challenged children is 1:5, but a single class at the school accommodates a big number of pupils, and most of sit on the floor.”
Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako said the school should be given priority and ensure it receives all the needed equipment. She said the district director must prioritize funding for the school’s infrastructure improvement.
“The district authority should invest at the school to ensure pupils do better in the final examinations,” said Minister Ndalichako.
He instructed the director to find solution to the challenges facing the school including the shortage of desks as well as construction of dormitories. He directed authorities to immediately disburse the 15m/- required for completion of the dormitories project.
