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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
THE government has plans to reduce the number of satellite schools in Masvingo province through upgrading some of them.

Masvingo provincial education officer Zadius Chitiga said the Ministry of Secondary and Primary Education had written to them outlining plans to upgrade the schools. He said most of the targeted schools are in Mwenezi and Chiredzi.

Satellite schools operate under the aegis of long established ones.

“We’re going to have some satellite schools upgraded into established schools with proper structures like substantive school heads. This has been long overdue that the earlier it’s implemented the better,” said Chitiga.

He said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education faces challenges in managing schools that are not well-established.

Chitiga said the main challenge arises during public examination periods as some are not yet examination centres.

“Some satellite schools have been operating like that for the past 15 years and that’s not healthy. We will move with haste to correct that as the move will also give autonomy on the identified schools and improve our education system. I can’t give timelines but it should be anytime soon,” he said.

“The ministry is committed towards the upgrading of such schools into full-established schools as this will address many gaps and we have targeted at least eight of them in Chiredzi and Mwenezi. It’s not healthy for schools to operate under others.”

He said satellite schools have been losing out on government grants.