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Thokozile Mbedzi, [email protected] 

BRETHREN-in-Christ Church (BICC) has built its first school in Bulawayo, Ingwalo High School in Emganwini suburb, as part of efforts to complement Government efforts to address the deficit in the education sector.

Ingwalo High School, which was recently commissioned, will help address hot sitting in Bulawayo schools, which has seen areas such as Cowdray Park having three-in-one schools as it battles crowding. 

The construction of new schools is expected to reduce the teacher-to-pupil learner ratio, which is key in assessing the learner’s growth. Under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), Government will be paying particular attention to broadening access and participation to education by marginalised populations in both rural and urban areas with the private sector expected to play a key role as envisaged by the economic blueprint.

As part of implementing Vision 2030 anchored on the NDS1, Government has approved the construction of 3  000 new schools by 2025 because of the phenomenal increase in learner enrolment which has resulted in the need for the establishment of more educational facilities in the country. 

The construction project will be implemented in phases starting with 100 and 144 model 21st century Government primary and secondary boarding schools spread across all the country’s 10 provinces. One primary and one secondary boarding school with adequate state-of-the-art facilities will be constructed in each of the 72 districts of the country.

Treasury will fund the first 144 schools, while public-private or joint venture arrangements will be crafted to assist in the construction of the three thousand new schools required. Speaking during the commissioning of Ingwalo High School, the headmistress, Ms Margaret Chiname said they are happy that their dream has been fulfilled. “I am grateful that our dream came true. Ingwalo High School opened its doors to our learners on 22 February last year and we had four learners, one girl and three boys. I would like to thank the parents who entrusted us with their children including teachers who soldiered and weathered the storm,” she said. 

“Today we have an enrolment of 60 boys and 50 girls. Our curriculum comprises of 11 areas which are Agriculture, Mathematics, Geography, English, History, IsiNdebele, Principles of Accounting, Business Enterprise skills, Family and Religious Studies and Heritage Studies.”

Speaking on behalf of the Ingwalo Adhoc committee, which works under the Brethren in Christ Education Administrative committee, Dr Lilliebeth Hadebe said: 

“This marks a great achievement for BICC Zimbabwe as a whole. As a committee, we are so happy for this notable achievement.”

BICC bishop Rev Sindah Ngulube said: “Through the support of all church structures the committee worked on the actual implementation of Ingwalo plans and strategies of establishing legal ownership of the land, making surveys on the land, sourcing architectural expertise, sourcing funds, buying of building materials needed for the first phase of the school and finally coming to the commissioning of the school.”

“As BICC, we teach our learners academics, life skills, arts, music and also spiritual needs as we are in the fight of drug abuse among others.”