§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the progress being made in Northern Rhodesia in the establishment of new schools to replace those in the flooded area of the new Kariba lake.
§ Mr. Iain Macleod,pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd February, 1960; Vol. 618, c. 38] supplied the following information.
There were nineteen schools, including two boarding schools, in the area inundated by the Kariba Lake and all have been moved with the minimum of interruption to the education of the children concerned. Six additional schools have been provided where the population has been split up in the resettlement.
In order that the schools might be erected more quickly and also transported from one site to another if the people moved on from their original resettlement areas, prefabricated buildings were used at the new sites in the first instance. These are in no way inferior to the original school buildings now under water. Where it is clear that resettled communities are stable the prefabricated buildings are being replaced by permanent ones. Five permanent buildings have been completed and work has begun on a sixth. The two boarding schools have been rebuilt and enlarged in permanent materials.
The resettlement programme has not held up the expansion of educational facilities in the area. Two existing schools have been up-graded from lower to full primary status, and two entirely new schools have been opened. The permanent schools replacing the prefabricated ones will be used to provide new or increased facilities where these are required.