Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
VICE-President Dr Kembo Mohadi yesterday commissioned a two-storey 14 classrooms block at Beitbridge Government Primary School where he also donated 15 laptops, interactive boards and Starlink internet services as part of his drive to improve the quality of services in the education sector.
The Vice-President has been instrumental in the refurbishments and upgrading of many schools in Matabeleland South Province including the recent upgrade of Mtetengwe Primary School in Beitbridge which was also powered with a mini solar plant, a computer laboratory and several boreholes to support the school’s nutrition garden.
At Beitbridge Mission Primary School in the border town where he is an alumni, he drilled solar powered boreholes, donated computers and equipment to initiate a nutrition garden at the school, which is the only institution with boarding facilities for disabled children.
The Vice-President visited the border town to celebrate his birthday through a two-day sports gala featuring 12 constituency drawn teams from Matabeleland South Province that began on Friday and ended yesterday.
He said the construction of more infrastructure in schools was futuristic and important in accommodating the continuous population growth across the country.
The Vice-President said it was necessary for the Government and its partners to create child friendly schools, which address all gender related challenges affecting learners.
“Beitbridge Primary has long been a beacon of learning in this border town. Rapid population growth, however, created overcrowding and hot-sitting, compromising the quality of education,” said Vice-President Mohadi.
“This new block ends the challenge and signals a transformation that aligns with Vision 2030, our blueprint for an upper-middle income, industrialised Zimbabwe and with Education 5.0, which fuses heritage, innovation and competence.
“Our achievement also advances the Millennium Development Goals, particularly, quality education, well ventilated classrooms that support inclusive learning, gender equality safe spaces that encourage girls’ participation on Stem.”
He emphasised that the model to densify schools will be replicated across Matabeleland South Province.
The Vice-President commended the School Development Committee and the parents from the school for successfully implementing the project, which began in 2021.
He also toured the expanded Oakleigh House Private School, which also has densified classrooms.
Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe said the completion of the school project was testament of what Zimbabweans achieve if they share a vision and pool resources towards one goal.
Representing the Secretary for Education Mr Moses Mhike, the Provincial Education Director Ms Beatrice Manjere said, “We are happy to see great infrastructure development at this school where the whole community took up the initiative to improve the state of learning facilities.”
She said foundation has been laid to shape the future of the children and the entire nation.
Chief Tshitaudze of Beitbridge commended Vice-President Mohadi for his donation of computers to the school, which will enhance the e-learning model.
“We are grateful for such a gesture from the Vice-President who has donated critical equipment in the form of computers and a Starlink kit that is essential in modern learning”.
Sidumisile Mabena