Full report of the Annual General Meeting provided by Mr Mahachi, Head of Pakati Primary school. It shows why we need help to provide basic education to the students of both schools. Please donate http://gofundme.com/friends-of-pakati
“Hi Chris, I hope I find you well. Just brief points about Pakati Pimary AGM held on the 3rd of March, at Pakati Primary ECD (Early Childhood Develooment) block.
Agenda
1. Prayer- volunteer
2. Introductions house keeping issues- Head
- Minutes and arisings
- SDC (School Development Committee) Chair’s report
- Head’s report
- Financial report.
- Resolutions and elections- councillor.
- Announcements, Prayer and dismissal.
- Meeting started around 1130 hrs with over 120 parents, whilst others came during proceedings.
Major talking points were
SDC chair’s report. Achievements during the year - Roofing the new ECD 2 classroom block
- Glazing of 88 window panes the ECD block
- Purchase and installation of 6 doors on the ECD block
- Procurement of 40 single desks and chairs for grade 7 students.
- Payment of ancillery staff (guard and clerk)
Heads report: - Enrolment and Staffing situation – drop of enrolment from 775 end of year 2019 to 701 – probable reasons are dropouts and transfers due to new levy i.e. from $20 to $300 Zim Dollars
- Shortage of teachers – authorised teacher establishment is 24, but teachers in post 15, with 9 vacancies due to current freezing of posts. School doesn’t have even 1 trained ECD teacher at the moment except for the deputy head who must not have a class but a teaching load of 16 lessons per week.
Slight improvement of pass rate from 43.75% to 48.95% but we aim to surpass 50% despite the challenges we face, e.g. shortage of teachers and teaching and learning materials like textbooks.
Classrooms available are 12 out of the required 24. Toilets available 14 for boys are adequate using the 1 as to 25 boys but girls have 10 out of the required 15 using the 1 as to 20 girls ratio.
Received 4 desktops and 1 laptop from Friends of Pakati, received 1114 new curriculum textbooks from Government and its partners. Received stationery items from an old student and he paid levies for 15 orphans and vulnerable learners. Many thanks to the friends and our partners.
The head touched on admission requirements for new entrants, be it ECD learners of transferred which are birth certificate, stationery items, uniforms, levies and transfers for those incoming transfers. He touched on this years expectation, for example vacation school for grade 7 to improve passrate and Zimsec registration for 2020 and 2021 candidates and the Zimsec levy of $44 suspended until further notice. The Head talked about the issue of connecting Zesa to the computer room that ZETDC hasn’t quoted the school the prices yet though we had submitted the request. The system can get overloaded and is always being repaired hence the need for Zesa connection, though these days electricity only comes during the night. There is need to upgrade the solar power system. There is need also to install a tank and pipes from the borehole to provide running water at the school. These are the immediate tasks at hand if funds permit.
The financial report was given by the treasurer highlighting amount of income and how it was used.
Resolutions mainly highlighted the need to fill the vacant teaching posts.
Elections were done and all 2019 SDC members were voted back due to the good work they were doing according to the audience. The meeting ended around 16:20.
OK, I can add some more. The incoming and re-elected SDC members are Chair – Mr Chikowe, Vice – Mrs Chinyama, Treasurer – Mrs Chiman, Secretary – Mrs Dhliwayo, Committee Member – Mr Mutsigwa, together with the four ex-offico members, the Councillor, the Head, Deputy Head and Senior Teacher – they become the 9 SDC members to drive the source and use resources sought for the development of the school as provided by the statutes.”
Many thanks to Mr Mahachi for the report and the pictures.
