adminRaymond Jaravaza
Bulawayo Bureau
WITH a dedicated team of skilled builders, carpenters and painters, the Zimbabwe National Army working hand-in-hand with villagers, has built two blocks of classrooms at Tshino Secondary School in Tsholotsho.
The classroom blocks were yesterday handed over to the local community by the army as it celebrates the 2024 Zimbabwe Defence Forces Community Assistance Week.
During this week, the Ministry of Defence hands over projects that are implemented together with benefiting communities and other stakeholders.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister of Defence Brigadier General (Retired) Levi Mayihlome said the Zimbabwe Defence Forces community assistance programme, which in the past focused on minor projects, has now transformed to encompass bigger and more impactful projects.
“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces, as part of its peacetime operations, avails its skilled personnel for the refurbishment and construction of public facilities for free. The communities in turn provide the required building materials and general labour,” he said.
“We believe that our provision of skilled labour free of charge will reduce the total costs of the projects resulting in communities being able to implement the projects.”
Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mayihlome said the ZDF participation in community development projects was driven by the realisation that community development required concerted efforts.
“Many more projects will be handed over during the 2024 Zimbabwe Defence Forces Community Assistance Week such as the handing over of a classroom block as Tsungai Primary School in Gokwe and many more across the country,” he said.
The ZDF was involved in several projects across the country that are at different levels of completion.
He also lauded the Tsholotsho community in the diaspora for its continued support of developmental projects in that district.
Tshino Secondary School was established in 2018 to serve families that were relocated following the floods of Cyclone Dineo. The establishment of the school reduced the distances travelled by learners to the nearest secondary school. However, the school faced a shortage of infrastructure such as classrooms and teachers’ cottages.
ZNA availed eight builders, six painters and eight carpenters to expedite the construction of the classrooms.
Villagers supported the construction of the school by providing free general labour while Government together with other partners such as Campfire, the Tsholotsho Rural District Council and the local business community supplied building materials.
Tshino Secondary School headmaster, Mr Mabutho Tshuma said the school has an enrolment of 270 pupils.
“We need four classroom blocks to have a full enrolment of 500 pupils and at least 10 teachers houses,” he said.
Mrs Irene Moyo commended Government efforts to address their children’s plight.
“I was having sleepless nights thinking of where my daughter was going to be enrolled for her secondary education. The construction of this school has therefore come as a great relief to many parents.
“The new school is just 3km from my homestead so my daughter can just walk to school,” she said.
Chief Mathuphula said the works by ZDF are a reflection of a people-centred army.
“Recently the army handed over a clinic in Sipepa after renovating it and today they are handing over a new school. When it comes to recruitment in the army, we are happy that our children are also being considered,” he said.
Chief Mathuphula implored the school authorities to work hard to improve the pass rates so that as many children can attain five Ordinary Level subjects required to join the army.
“We want to see our children in the army, police and air force,” he said.
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