Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
The Gwanda Rural District Council has started construction of Early Childhood Development (ECD) classroom blocks at three primary schools in the district through devolution funds.
The construction of the classroom blocks, which is being done under the Government’s 100-day cycle, is expected to be complete by the end of next month.
Building material worth $12,4 million has already been procured with foundation work currently being done.
The project was necessitated by the need to provide quality ECD education in a conducive environment.
A significant number of schools in the district do not have ECD classes, forcing parents to send young children to far away schools to access education. Some from resettlement areas have resorted to renting out accommodation for their young children in order to be close to school which has exacerbated sexual abuse cases.
Gwanda Rural District Council chief executive officer Mr Ranga Sibanda said ECD education has not been taken seriously over the years yet it is a priority area in education.
“We’re working on various infrastructural projects, some that are nearing completion and have been made possible through devolution funds. One of the projects is the construction of Mandongola Clinic which is almost complete. We’ve also embarked on a construction project of ECD classroom blocks at various schools which we expect to be complete by the end of June. There are three schools that are benefiting and these are Makokwe, Mahwanke and Zhukwe primary schools. We’ve already bought material for the three classroom blocks at a cost of $12,4 million,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said the council had engaged local builders and the community to participate in the building projects.
“Over the years, people have not been taking ECD seriously, particularly in rural schools but it’s one of the priority areas in education. As a social service, we want to put up classrooms that are specifically designed for young children. We’ll furnish the classrooms as per the recommended standards. It’s going to be a 100-day project meaning that by the end of June, we’ll be done constructing the classroom blocks. Foundations are already being laid and building material has been procured.”
He applauded Government for availing resources for developmental projects to local authorities saying traditional sources of revenue were not adequate to undertake such projects.
“But with the coming in of devolution funds, we find ourselves able to embark on infrastructural development projects which is a need in our district,” said Mr Sibanda.
Most local authorities have been struggling to generate adequate resources to fund big projects and Central Government came to the rescue by providing devolution funds. Government has in the 2022 budget provided $42 billion to be disbursed to provinces as devolution funds.
President Mnangagwa has declared that no community should be left behind as the country pursues inclusive development for it to achieve Vision 2030.
The President has said the Second Republic will not allow illegal sanctions imposed by the West to derail the country’s development agenda, hence a number of projects are being implemented using local resources.
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