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Bulawayo City Council-owned schools will soon start the construction of early childhood development (ECD) classrooms after the local authority approved the projects.
The schools were also cleared to engage private contractors for the projects as the city council’s builders were too few.
Government introduced ECD in schools resulting in the existing infrastructure failing to accommodate the expanded classes.
The city’s director of housing and community services, Isaiah Magagula, said a number of schools had submitted applications for the construction of ECD centres.
He confirmed the local authority had given the go-ahead to all its schools to kick-start the construction work.
“The BCC gave authority that schools wishing to put up the ECD blocks be go ahead and do so. That way we avoid a situation whereby schools will continually come back to council to seek permission each time they want to construct an ECD centre,” Magagula said.
He said the Housing and Community Services Department through its architectural division has produced a standard plan for the construction of the ECD blocks in the council schools.
Magagula bemoaned the introduction of ECD centres in all primary schools countrywide without first setting up adequate learning space.
“The enrolment of the ECD classes has added the burden of providing the extra classrooms in the schools. The schools weren’t given enough time to plan for this addition in enrolment,” he said.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora urged parents to enrol their children for ECD at the age of four.
As of now, Malindela Primary School has built and completed a block for ECD learning.
Magagula said some schools have engaged School Development Associations to request permission to flight tenders for carrying out the building projects.
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