Barrick Lumwana Mine donates bicycles

Barrick Lumwana Mine has donated 46 bicycles to educational champions in Solwezi in a bid to enhance educational quality improvement in schools within the mine’s catchment area.

Barrick Lumwana provided the KR183, 000 (K183 million) to the Ministry of Education to train some parents as educational champions and school managers in instructional leadership and administrative teams in career guidance and counselling.

Mine sustainability Manager, Brenda Tambatamba, said the objectives of the community educational champions initiatives are to mobilize members of the community to step up on interest and involvement in education and other school agenda in their zone.

Ms Tambatamba said the mine is committed to continue soliciting for other initiatives for educational quality improvement because demand for better education will continue to rise now and in times to come.

Officiating at the handover ceremony, North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Augustine Seyuba, commended Barrick Lumwana for its commitment in meeting its corporate social responsibility obligation in the community.

In a speech read for him by Assistant Secretary, Felix Ngoma, Mr Seyuba said Barrick Lumwana has not only facilitated training in school effectiveness and community participation but also in sponsoring some Grade 10 to 12 pupils at Mutanda, Meheba, Solwezi Technical and other schools.

He noted that the mine has also extended sponsorship to teachers undergoing further training.

Provincial Education Officer, Jennipher Malama, said the educational champions initiative was necessitate to enhance performance in schools which has not been impressive especially at Grade 12 level.

Mr Malama said some of the identified reasons for poor leaner performance in schools in the province include inadequate instructional leadership skills among school manager, teachers’
attitude and inadequate monitoring quality