Sigh of relief as Didia ward gets new secondary school

DIDIA Ward residents in Shinyanga District Council have breathed a sigh of relief following the government’s move to release 80m/-, for construction of Lohumbo Secondary School in the area.

The construction of eight classrooms has since been completed the school is currently accommodating students.

Earlier, the children used to have to walk for about 10 kilometres, in search of secondary education services in various areas within the council, a situation that forced the residents to have the idea of constructing a secondary school in the area.

They, therefore, organised for a fundraising exercise in March of 2021 and they managed to collect about 15m/- for initial construction activities, said the Ward Councilor, Mr Luhende Masele.

“The children, especially girls, were also facing gender-based violence, with media houses helping us to speak up against the vice. We are thankful that our responsive government heard the cry and dished out 80m/- under Covid-19 relief fund to finance the project, which has since been completed.  The first-year students are now in class at this new school,” he said.

According to him, the school is composed of eight classrooms and 12 latrine pits, but still in high need of a laboratory, staff rooms and a perimeter wall.

The residents were set to conduct more fundraising events, with Mr Masele calling up more stakeholders to support the initiatives.

Didia Ward Executive Officer (WEO), Justus Birago said that the school has enough area for expansion.

“We have over 10 hectares of land, to accommodate many more infrastructures, including more classrooms, so that it can accommodate more students for the coming academic years,” he said.

The school’s Deputy Headmaster, Mr Juma Kisenha, said that Lohumbo has a total of 136 students, 61 are female and 74 are male.

Shinyanga Regional Press Club Coordinator, Estomine Henry, assured continuous efforts to fight all sorts of gender-based violence in the region, through publicities.

“We also keep on contacting more stakeholders to support this war, like we did in 2021 where we secured Women Fund Tanzania sponsorship to fight the evils against women and children,” he said.