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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected] 

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will commission 17 new rural schools equipped with modern facilities next week. Three of these schools are in Matabeleland region, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to ensure access to quality education for all.

The schools were constructed through a partnership with the Opec Fund for International Development (Ofid). The official commissioning ceremony will be held next Thursday at Makumimavi Primary School in Chikomba District, Mashonaland East Province.

The schools to be commissioned in Matabeleland North are Khokoloza Primary School in Binga District and Thame Primary School in Bubi District while Mokgampo Secondary School in Mangwe District will be commissioned in Matabeleland South.

In a statement released yesterday, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education highlighted that the schools to be commissioned signify the transformation of the country’s education sector towards achieving international standards.

“His Excellency, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, will officially commission the construction of 17 new Government schools complementarily-funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) on Thursday, 30 May. The ceremony will take place at Makumimavi Government Primary School in Chikomba District, Mashonaland East Province,” reads the statement.

“This step of commissioning the construction of Makumimavi Primary School and 16 other schools across the country is a great milestone and the advent of efforts to ensure that the fundamental architecture of the country’s internationally acclaimed system of education remain intact and strengthened.”

The ministry said that these schools exemplify the Government’s dedication to bringing quality education to remote communities. For example, Thame Primary School in Bubi District stands in a previously under-served resettlement area, now equipped to provide vital educational opportunities.

“This landmark investment in education infrastructure is a significant step towards ensuring quality and equitable access to education across Zimbabwe, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4) and the 2030 Education Development Agenda. Each primary school will feature an administration block, ablution facilities, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) block, classrooms, a computer lab, a library and teachers’ houses. The secondary schools will have similar facilities, including science laboratories, computer rooms and libraries,” reads the statement.

“Government through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education continues to emphasise that geography should not be a barrier to quality education, and that teachers should feel at home in their schools to ensure stability and continuity in the education system.”

The 17 new Government schools promise a dramatic transformation for Zimbabwe’s educational landscape. Equipped with modern facilities and resources, they will empower both students and teachers in rural and remote areas.

“This investment in education is a crucial component of the country’s drive towards sustainable development and economic transformation,” read the statement.

The ministry said the other schools are Stakesroom Secondary School and Lawrencedale Primary School in Manicaland, Craigeside Primary, Tengenenge Primary School and Belgonie Secondary School in Mashonaland Central, Chehamba Primary School, Tavoy Secondary School, Sadomba Primary School and Justright Primary School in Mashonaland West Province.  The other schools are Nyuni Primary School and Nyuni Secondary School in Masvingo Province and Budiriro Primary School and Neta Secondary School in ther Midlands province. — @nqotshili