About 300 pupils at Mwenimenda Middle Basic School in Lubansenshi Constituency of Luwingu district in the Northern Province have abandoned lessons to help parents in the harvesting caterpillars locally known as ifishimu in Bemba.
Mwenimenda school authorities said almost 95% of the population at the learning institution has even invaded the neighbouring Lukashya Constituency in Kasama district to help parents collect caterpillars.
They said out 338 pupils, only 38 are attending lessons while others have joined their parents to pick up caterpillars in the bush.
The authorities, who declined to be named, said the pupils were supposed to be writing end of the term tests but they will fail to do so because they are not attending classes in preference for caterpillars.
They said there were only five pupils attending lessons in Grade 3 while there were no pupils attending classes in Grades 1 and 2.
The school authorities said Lukashya and some parts of Lubansenshi constituency have experienced a large swarms of caterpillars, paralyzing school programmes in senior chief Shimumbi of Luwingu district and chief Munkonge of Kasama districts.
They said this has lead to an influx of businessmen and women who are buying the caterpillars.Pupils are among the residents taking advantage of an economical boom in the area.
They said a 5 litre container of dried caterpillars is fetching between K15, 000 and K20, 000, and suspected that they would like to use the money during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.[pullquote]They thanked the almighty God for having blessed the area with plenty caterpillars which they said would improve their living standards.[/pullquote]
Residents in Luwingu said that this year Christmas will be celebrated in style as many villagers in that area have money to buy their needs.
They thanked the almighty God for having blessed the area with plenty caterpillars which they said would improve their living standards.
They said that they have raised enough money to buy farm inputs such as fertilizer and seed and for their own consumption.
Meanwhile, a one by three class room block at Chabula Middle Basic School in chief Chabula’s area of Luwingu district has collapsed following heavy rains forcing authorities to be suspending classes when there are signs of rains.
Teachers disclosed to ZANIS in Luwingu that a grass-thatched classroom block collapsed last week leaving both pupils and teachers stranded.
The school, which has over 400 pupils, might be closed prematurely because teachers cannot afford to teach under an open environment with heavy rains the area has started experiencing.
They appealed to the Ministry of Education to consider constructing a permanent class room block as opposed to the temporary building.
Viva Vinkubala! Imwe baice kabiyeni kusukulu first ala!
with the smile this woman possesed over vinkubala ,imagine how happy her children can be over the same…
Pupils have abandoned lessons to help parents in harvesting caterpillars locally known as ifishimu in Bemba. In my mother language, the caterpillars are known as “matole”
It tells you how poor we are.
In Europe wild things are left alone, as most people buy what they need in supermarkets. You see apples, blackberries, and other fruit growing by roadsides and along railway line surrounds.
Proclaim a holiday for the school children to gather in the food.
ok
LT, LISTEN TO THE READERSHIP. YOUR ENGLISH IN EACH AND EVERY EDITORIAL IS VERY POOR. YOU MEAN THERE IS NO ONE EDUCATED AT YOUR ELECTRONIC PAPER TO CHECK GRAMMAR, SPELLINGS, ECT?
Ee boom iyi!
Their school calendar must be altered to accommodate vinkubala season. That way no one has to miss school
Those 8 High schools Bembazonked to Northern Province should be built in other provinces where pupils have time for school.
Typical of the gatherers and collectors of caterpillars and mushrooms at good their trade than learning in class.Do you expect a good pass rate from this area.Somehow its good for them because its cheap and easily to gather and pick.collect crawling things and mushrooms rather than waiting for FRA to pay you for your grain that you sold them 5 months ago.
#4 Gundix go do your research. Why Europe has exported its diseases to Africa is exactly because of attitudes like yours. Diseases such as Diabetes and HBP are now rampant in Africa because people have deserted the natural foods you are calling wild things. The are going for the processed foods you find in European supermarkets to say nothing of junk food. Ask yourself why Kabompo honey is popular in Germany. Its because Europeans are now opting for NATURAL foods; the bees that make Kabompo honey dont encounter the chemicals/insecticides that the bees in Europe do in the flowers that they feed on. The Kabompo honey is pure and natural and you derive all the nutritional benefits maximally. Ifinkubala is one such nutritious food. Village Chicken or Plastic Shoprite chicken? Go for the former
Ba Lt why do you wanna moderate me over such an innocent posting?
I’ll resend: To
#4 Gundix go do your research: Why Europe has exported its diseases to Africa is exactly because of attitudes like yours. Diseases such as Diabetes and HBP are now rampant in Africa cos people have deserted the natural foods you are calling wild things.
The are eating the processed foods you find in European supermarkets. Africans never suffered from Diabetes before the arrival of Europeans
Ask yourself why Kabompo honey is popular in Germany. Its because Europeans have nowadays realised that NATURAL foods are healthier; the bees that make Kabompo honey don’t encounter the chemicals/insecticides that the bees in Europe do in the flowers that they feed on.
The Kabompo honey is pure and natural thus maximallt delivering to you all the nutritional benefits. Ifinkubala is one such nutritious food. Zambians already know that Village Chicken is better than the ‘plastic’ chickens you buy from Pick n Pay or Shoprite or the so called supermarkets you are extolling.
You should ask yourself why Kabompo honey is popular in Germany. It is because Europeans have realised that NATURAL foods are healthier; the bees that make Kabompo honey don’t encounter the chemicals/insecticides that the bees in Europe do in the flowers that they feed on.
As such Kabompo honey is pure and natural thus delivering to you all the nutritional benefits. Ifinkubala is one such nutritious food. Zambians already know that Village Chicken is better than the ‘plastic’ chickens you buy from supermarkets you are blindly extolling.
Awe mwaya sana ba LT This moderation thing can go to hell. I havent finished my blog above because you are MODERATING the second part. Mwabo bukopo!
Couldn’t the Ministry of Education possibly introduce mid term break to accommodate ‘natural programes’ like this.
These pupils are indeed business minded. Caterpillars are material for export. If well managed.
@South African Please tell them. Most Zambians don’t know that when late Mwanawasa refused GMO maize he helped keep them healthy. Africans  eating European processed foods are filling up hospitals with imported illnesses. Watch that Mcdonald burger!
Give them a break, adjust the timetable. Let them pick up the vikuvalas, as this is a special occasion.
I Miss ifishimu
They they miss final exams too? or only those lazy 38 pupils wrote?
go plan especially that there is a shortage of mealie meal in kasama.
I miss vikubala mwe
Aaaaah, tubombeko guys! Imwe mulapange fichele elyo ifwe tushalepofye and lesa natupa capital free of charge! kayafye ku exam
These bembas are very dull and naive…This is what made Luapula Province to have the one of the lowest school attendance and Literacy levels-Fishing.But fish stocks are down,what remains is ignorance….Let us be serious.Let us assist our children to concentrate more cardinal and sustainable pieces of life-Education