Online Reporter
Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO Province is set to get four new schools in Cowdray Park as part of a Government initiative to improve access to education in newly developed suburbs and address overcrowding in existing facilities.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has applied to the Bulawayo City Council for land to construct these schools, targeting one of the city’s fastest-growing areas.
The director of communication and advocacy in the ministry, Mr Taungana Ndoro, told Sunday News that plans to build new schools is a strategic priority to ensure educational facilities are within reach of residents in expanding suburbs.
“The number of stands advertised corresponds with the number of schools targeted for this project. The motivation behind constructing these schools is that many new settlements, particularly in urban areas like Bulawayo, Masvingo, Gweru, Mutare and Harare, lack adequate educational facilities,” he said.
Mr Ndoro noted that most of these areas have numerous residential plots with few designated for schools, resulting in children travelling by public transport to attend schools far from their homes.
“It is now our strategic initiative to ensure that all these new settlements have primary and secondary schools within proximity to residents,” he said.
In response to the application, Bulawayo City Council (BCC) Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube said: “Notice is given in terms of Section 152 (2) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) that the council intends to sell stands 118840 Cowdray Park, 26571 Cowdray Park, Stand 10819, and three others in Cowdray Park, totalling approximately 12,8469 ha, 6,8335 ha, and 7 449 ha as shown on drawing number BCG 590, TPB 816, BDG 1162, and diagram number 773/1994 to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.”
Mr Dube said the purchase price will be offset against the Government’s 10 percent commonage entitlement, with a US$500 regularisation fee required under Section 152(2) of the Urban Councils Act. Zesa’s general servitude conditions will also apply.
The council’s resolution from 7 August, 2023, along with area diagrams and draft lease terms, is available for public viewing at the Town Clerk’s Municipal Buildings. Objections to the proposal must be submitted by 4 April 2025.
Cowdray Park, Bulawayo’s most populous suburb with over 75 000 residents as per the 2022 census, dwarfs towns like Hwange (40 000) and Gwanda (27 000). Yet, its educational infrastructure struggles to keep pace. Among the city’s 30 council-owned schools, those in Cowdray Park are severely overcrowded.
In 2023, Mahlathini Primary School topped the list with 2 795 learners, followed by Tategulu (2 452), Mkhithika Thebe (2 425), and Vulindlela (1 100). The suburb’s three secondary schools — one Government-run and two private — also face similar strain.
Council regulations mandate 12 schools per 6 000 homes, revealing a shortfall of 65 schools citywide to adequately serve Bulawayo’s growing population. The new schools in Cowdray Park mark a critical step toward bridging this gap and easing the burden on learners. –@NyembeziMu
derick.khumalo