Residents of Mutuna Ward in Bahati Constituency are elated at the construction of a 1X3 Classroom Block, Staff House, Ablution Block and water reticulation project nearing completion at Chisunka Combined School at a value of K2, 424,429.94.
The school which was upgraded to a combined school to accommodate both secondary and primary in 2018, did not have sufficient school infrastructure to support the anticipated growth of the school population.
Through coordinated efforts from the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), the school administration, the Ward Development Committee and the community, an application to fund additional infrastructure through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was made and approval was given in the 2023 Bahati CDF.
Samuel Mwila, a Grade 12 pupil at the school says the new development will improve the water sanitation levels and safety for the users at the school.
“When it rains heavily, ground water levels increase, and the strength of the building becomes compromised because the pit latrines can sink while someone is still inside. But the flushable toilets the Government has brought for us are just the same as those used in the town which means that government thinks of us as being equals to those who live in the town and other districts”.
Samuel Mwila added that being exposed to using the flushable toilets while in the village will reduce the discomfort that many face when they visit towns and cities for the first time.
And Asher a grade 9 female pupil says features such as, doors on each toilet stall, clean water and mirrors will allow the girls at the school to maintain utmost hygiene and cleanliness as opposed to when they used the pit latrines.
“When I close the door to the toilet, I have entered I can check myself properly before going outside especially when having monthly periods. I can also look in the mirror and see if anything is wrong and correct it or clean myself”.
Asher also thanked the Government of Zambia for the developments at the school.
Overall, the construction of the additional Classroom block has created room for the separation of the primary and secondary school sections while the ablution block with water reticulation will be accessed by the over 600 pupils at the school.
It is hoped that the construction of this infrastructure will encourage more parents in the ward to take their children to Chisunka Combined School.
