MORE than 360 pupils at Matagata Primary School in Itigi are missing their lessons as there are no teachers for about three weeks now due to border dispute between Manyoni District in Singida Region and Sikonge in Tabora Region.
Primary School Education Officer (Academic) for Itigi District Council, Mr Shaban Madongo said here that Matagata Primary School was previously considered to be located in Sikonge District, Tabora Region and was getting all services from Tabora, while another primary school known as Kalangali was considered to be located in Manyoni District, Singida Region, receiving all services from Singida.
However, due to boundary controversy that arose in the area, top leaders from the two regions (Tabora and Singida) called for assistance from surveyors in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development to go and resolve the conflict.
“After land surveyors checked the boundaries by revisiting the Government Notice (GN), Kalangali Primary School, which has been ours for years, was found to be located in Sikonge District, Tabora Region and Matagata, which was in Tabora, was realised to be in Itigi, Manyoni District in Singida Region,” he explained adding;
“Following the decision, all teachers except one, who were teaching at Matagata immediately left the school for reasons better known to themselves, leaving behind about 368 pupils, comprising Standard One up to Standard Seven, in dilemma as no teacher was available to provide them with the service.
Mr Madongo further noted that despite the decision made, based mainly on administrative boundaries, educational wise Matagata Primary School is still not included in the system for them to own it.
“While our Tabora colleagues have completed all the procedures to transfer Kalangali School we, in Singida, are yet to transfer Matagata School. I sincerely appeal to our regional leaders to speed up the process in order to enable us own the school officially,” he said.
Councillor for Mgandu Ward, where Matagata School is located, Mr Martin Kapona has urged all parties involved in solving the pending predicament to do so as early as possible, so that pupils at Matagata Primary School can continue receiving education.
Addressing the issue during the Itigi District councillors’ general meeting, Manyoni District Commissioner, Ms Kamilembe Luota ordered the District Education Officer in the area to make serious follow up on the issue to the relevant authorities so that pupils at the said school could not continue missing their basic right of acquiring education.