Lack of development at Kurauone secondary schools

111917 Refias Sithole/Marange Chiadzwa

Kurauone secondary school is a school situated just some few kilometres from the diamond fields in Marange under headman Mukwada. It is a school with a very large catchment of young school going children from about 7-8 villages.
Development in communities around diamond mining fields in Marange have been lagging behind since the inception of mining companies. Most communities have not so far seen any meaningful development emanated from these diamond extractions. While the whole communities are crying foul over lack of development by mining companies , the same sentiment also goes to Kurauone secondary school students who also took the opportunity to demand their fair share of development from the fruits of diamond extractives in Marange at the recent commemoration of diamond mining victims held in Mukwada village. They also need the company to improve the status at Kurauone secondary school as we’ll as other schools around diamond fields in Marange . The status and the welfare of children at this school is so deteriorating and deplorable hence their standard of education have been decreasing to an alarming pass rate of less than 10%. The school haven’t received developmental assistance from mining companies in Marange. Their children walk long distances of more than 5km to school, school buildings are dilapidating and need renovations , no enough books- four children share one book and not even chalks for their teachers to use. Most parents are so poor that they cannot afford school fees for their children resulting in increasing number of school drop outs,hence their children have been deprived from their right to education as provided for by our constitution.
One would wonder why this school and many others around diamond fields have been neglected and marginalised to this extent without any attention even from the government ministry, yet we have got so much mineral wealth in our communities……
Where is our future????

Refias Sithole _ @ Marange Development Trust.