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Raymond Jaravazam, [email protected]

COWDRAY Park, one of Bulawayo’s largest and fastest-growing suburbs, is grappling with a severe shortage of schools, clinics, and other essential amenities.

While the suburb’s population continues to expand rapidly, infrastructure development has failed to keep pace with the growing demand.

According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, Cowdray Park is home to 75 000 residents, spread across more than 27 000 stands, including residential, commercial, and industrial zones.

Yet, as the number of houses rises daily, residents are left facing major challenges in accessing basic services, including education.

Despite being the city’s largest suburb, Cowdray Park only boasts three secondary schools, comprising the Government-run Cowdray Park Secondary School and two privately owned institutions.

This scarcity of educational facilities forces many parents to send their children to schools in nearby areas like Luveve, Emakhandeni, or even the city centre — locations that are often miles away from their homes.

In the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai area, a makeshift secondary school — Onxy Academy — has emerged to fill the gap. The school, constructed with walls made from metal sheets, currently enrols over 100 students.

Since opening its doors in January 2024, Onxy Academy has become the only educational institution serving the western part of Cowdray Park, known as Es’godweni. The school offers a range of subjects but lacks practical classes like Agriculture, Woodwork, Metalwork, Food and Nutrition, and Fashion and Fabrics.

“We are the only school in this part of the suburb, and our vision is to provide quality education and adequately prepare students for public exams. We opened in January 2024 with an enrolment of just over 100 learners,” said Mr Elton Tofa, the school principal.

“Our long-term goal is to develop the school into a fully-fledged institution, complete with science blocks, workshops, and sports facilities.”

The school’s current infrastructure is modest, and it relies on a staff of just seven educators to manage the diverse needs of its students. Despite these limitations, Onxy Academy has become a lifeline for many families, especially for students like Sipho, a Form Four learner.

Sipho, who resides at the far end of Cowdray Park, shared his experience:

“It’s not easy to get a place at Cowdray Park Secondary School because it’s always full, and my parents cannot afford to send me to a school in the city centre. I’m grateful for Onxy Academy because it’s close to my home, and many of my friends are here.”

Local resident Orlando Mlilo expressed concern over the lack of sufficient educational options in the area.

“Cowdray Park is growing at an alarming rate, but the construction of schools is not keeping up. Two years ago, I tried to enrol my son at Luveve High, but they told me that the school only accepts children from the local area,” he said.

According to 2023 statistics from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Zimbabwe has 10 517 schools. Ideally, the ratio of schools to population in the country should be about one school for every 1 500 people, based on a 95 percent gross enrolment rate in primary education and a national population of 15 million.

However, Cowdray Park’s rapid expansion has left the suburb with a severe shortage of secondary schools.

Ward 28 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu highlighted the urgency of the situation, particularly during the rainy season when mud and poor road conditions make commuting to schools even more difficult.

“The situation becomes even worse in the rainy season, when learners from the far end of the suburb must walk long distances to Cowdray Park Secondary.

“Not all parents can afford to send their children to private schools in the area, so it’s critical for the government to expedite the construction of additional secondary schools,” said Clr Ndlovu.

With a population of 75 000, Cowdray Park is now the second most populous urban ward in Zimbabwe, after Harare’s Budiriro, which has over 89 000 residents.

The suburb’s population is larger than that of towns like Gwanda (27 000 residents) and Hwange (40 000 residents). As the population continues to grow, the demand for essential services like education, healthcare, and shopping facilities becomes increasingly urgent.