Bulawayo council schools overpopulated

Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter 

THREE Bulawayo City Council schools in Cowdray Park are operating with an enrolment of about 2 500 pupils against the recommended 500 pupils per school. 

Reports show that despite an increase in enrolment for all 30 schools run by the local authority, parents and guardians still owe over $2 million in arrears. 

According to council regulations, a radius of 6 000 homes should have 12 schools which translates to a shortage of 65 schools in Bulawayo needed to service the growing population. 

In a report contained in the latest council minutes, council Housing and Community Services director Mr Dictor Khumalo said there was a notable increase in school enrolment during the first term of 2019. 

“During the first term of 2019, enrolment increased to 41 795 from 2018 in all our 30 schools. Notable increases were recorded at Tategulu (155), Mahlathini (115) both in Cowdray Park suburb, Josiah Chinamano and JW Mthimkhulu (56),” read the report. 

Mr Khumalo said Malindela and Senzangakhona both recorded an increase of 69 pupils, while Dumezweni and Ntshamathe recorded an increase of 59 pupils. 

“Mahlathini remains the school with the highest enrolment with 2 506 learners followed by Tategulu with 2 489 learners and Mkhithika Thebe 2 290 learners and all these three are in Cowdray Park,” added Mr Khumalo. 

He said that Mgoqo also went up to 2 231 learners followed by Dumezweni which has 2 086 learners and Senzangakhona 2 054. 

Mr Khumalo also said of the total arrears, Government through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) was owing a total of $381 861. 

“The accumulated debt owed by the parents in all the schools now stands at $2 786 018. These funds continue to lose value as the economic situation deteriorates,” he said. 

“Inevitably, schools and council do not derive full benefits from these funds whenever they were paid due to loss in value, given the time value of money.” 

According to Mr Khumalo, parents and guardians should settle their arrears to enable council to offer competitive services. 

The Government recently said it will be launching a programme in Bulawayo to build additional schools especially in Cowdray Park and Pumula South to decongest the existing ones.

This came a few months after the Government, through the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ), set out to construct more schools as there is a deficit of more than 2 000 schools countrywide. – @thamamoe