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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
THE discovery of oil and gas in Muzarabani, Mbire district is driving a major opening of new schools, from 37 three years ago to 61 today, as Mbire aims to create a competitive human resource base so that locals are able to take up job opportunities when they arise.
Investment in rural communities can drive economic growth by creating job opportunities, and realising this, Mbire district is making great strides in investment in education.
Mbire Rural District Council has increased the number of primary and secondary schools by 65 percent from 37 to over 61 in the past three years.
With Mbire poised for significant development after the discovery of oil and gas, community investment can help address social issues such as poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Mbire RDC chief executive officer Mr Cloudious Majaya said investment in sound human capital through improving access to quality education will provide an opportunity for children in marginalised communities to access school and so give them better opportunities.
Previously, companies that invested in Mbire would ask for youths who had completed O Level but they would fail to find anyone. Now, the council has created a database of youths who have graduated from colleges and universities, said Mr Majaya.
“The ultimate goal is to spur local economic development. Sometimes standards were compromised to allow locals to benefit from job opportunities. Now we have more graduates than we did before. We are investing in education to reduce this gap and empower our children.“Our focus is on reducing the distance between schools so that children, especially girls, stay in school.”
Mr Majaya said the council wanted to empower communities from the grassroots by constructing as many day schools as possible. At present there is one boarding school, Mushumbi High School, and Mbire RDC is inviting investors to establish more boarding schools, particularly primary schools.
Mr Majaya said the district did not have a vocational training centre but the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, had identified land for the construction of one.
“Local development stems from the resources we have as a district. Now we are witnessing improved livelihoods, better houses and infrastructure, and people paying their rates due to economic activities happening in the district,” he said.
District development coordinator Mr Richard Maruta noted a remarkable improvement in education since the coming of the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa. Mbire now has 39 primary schools with an enrolment of 23 794 and 22 secondary schools that enrol 4 972.
“We have engaged safari operators who are contributing to the expansion of the classroom blocks and water reticulation. We have also partnered with Camfed, Caritus and World Vision, among others. We have come up with initiatives to improve our low pass rate.
“Schools are encouraged to carry out income-generating activities to assist in the school feeding programme. Community early childhood development centres have been established across the district to cater for the long distances from some homes to schools. Massive developments are happening in our district and with an enlightened community, Mbire will become one of the best places to be,” said Mr Maruta.
Mbire RDC community services officer, Mr Taona Mutendereki, said out of the 61 primary and secondary schools in the area, three are newly built using devolution funds.
There were plans to build three more, one of them being Nyamanzou Primary School in Ward 4, which is now at window level. Resources are being mobilised for another one, Nyambira Primary School.
World Vision, working with the local authority and community members, was renovating and expanding Majongwe Secondary School.
“Schools that have been completed are Tanaka, Bande and Kadzi Komba. These schools were constructed using devolution funds. More classroom blocks are being added to the schools,” he said.
“Tanaka Primary in Ward 10 serves a large number of pupils who were travelling more than 10km to nearby Makuvatsine and Neshangwe primary schools. Komba Primary School in Ward 2 serves the remote outskirts areas along the Mozambique border.
“The area is infested with wild animals and previously, the pupils were going to Chitima Primary School, 12km away and Mupedzapasi Primary School across the Angwa River, resulting in children failing to attend school during the rainy season.”
Bande Primary in Ward 15 of the Mahuhwe area serves around 13 communities who travelled more than 10km to the nearest Mahuhwe Primary School.
Online Reporter