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A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony to signal the start of construction of a new school for Globe and Phoenix Primary School pupils in Kwekwe, was held recently. Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Owen Ncube who presided over the ceremony, said the target was to build the school in a record time.

 Minister Ncube said Government intends to build a state-of-the-art school in the shortest possible time hence the need for the private sector to come on board and assist. 

The old Globe and Phoenix Primary school was decommissioned after one of the classroom blocks collapsed into an underground mine tunnel injuring scores of pupils. 

The Government took over the school which was built by Globe and Phoenix Mine more than 100 years ago. The mine is now owned by Kuvimba Mining House which has since donated four hectares of land where the new school will be built. 

After the old school buildings were decommissioned, pupils and staff were moved to Russel Primary School which has been renamed Sally Mugabe Primary School. 

The 1 300 pupils are now sharing classrooms with the other 822 pupils at Sally Mugabe Primary School hence the urgent need to construct the new school. 

Government has to fast-track the construction of the new school and we are happy that the groundbreaking ceremony has already been held. The target, Government said, is to complete temporary structures by January next year to enable pupils and teachers to move to the new site while construction of permanent structures is underway. 

There might be a need to enlist the services of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) which has qualified manpower to undertake such work. The ZNA has undertaken such projects and completed them in a record time across the country.

The school is estimated to cost US$7,5 million and Minister Ncube said mobilisation of the required resources has already started. 

Local businessman Dr Solomon Matsa has pledged to build a two-classroom block and we call on other companies to also assist in the construction of the new school. There is a need to accelerate the construction of the new school because the overcrowding at Sally Mugabe Primary School cannot be allowed to continue as it compromises the quality of education. 

Education is a right that must be enjoyed by all Zimbabwean children who include Globe and Phoenix pupils.