Government to establish timber processing plant in Kazungula

SOUTHERN province minister Edify Hamukale has disclosed Government’s plans of setting up a timber processing plant in Kazungula district to address the shortage of desks in schools in the region.

Dr Hamukale has also proposed that schools in the region request for teachers with a background in industrial arts to help with skills training.

Speaking when he addressed school management at Saala Community School in Kazungula recently, Dr Hamukale said the proposed timber processing factory will be getting the materials from Sesheke, Sioma, Kaoma and Kazungula.

He said it is not right for a school situated in the middle of a forest not to have desks.

“This school Saala is in the middle of a forest. To produce desks and other timber products, we require trees and so for an area like this one, we expect you to request for a timber skills centre so that we can produce desks locally. We have long term plans to put up a timber processing factory here in Kazungula,” he said.

He advised that in the meantime, the school management, working in collaboration with the area councillor, Member of Parliament and also the traditional leadership can write and request for a skills training centre or carpentry workshop.

“We can’t have pupils sitting on the floor in a forest that produces timber for furniture for the rest of the world. Your timber is being used elsewhere, so why should pupils sit on the floor?

“Zambia is looking to this place so not having desks here is not the best thing to do because you own the forests, you have the raw materials for what you are asking for and begin to derive benefits from the natural resources around you,” he said.

Earlier Bombwe Zonal head Edward Nyambe commended Government for facilitating the construction of a 1x2 classroom block at the school.

Mr Nyambe also called on Government to consider sending more teachers, especially trained female teachers to motivate the girls in the community.

“Otherwise, we are grateful that the feeding programme in schools has improved learner attendance in schools but we still need assistance with boreholes,” he said.