Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
THE Government has commissioned a centre pivot and garden flats at Dadaya High School in Zvishavane worth US$280 000 aimed at boosting crop production and productivity as well as offering accommodation for members of staff.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Owen Ncube, presided over the commissioning of Dadaya High School FBC funded US$210 000 centre pivots and US$70 685 garden flats.
The event coincided with the speech and prize-giving ceremony, which ran under the theme: “Building a Resilient Future through Education with Production for National Development”.
Minister Ncube told parents, teachers and Government officials that the prize-giving ceremony’s theme aligns with the country’s Heritage Based Education 5.0 initiative.
He said the approach focuses on equipping learners with practical skills, including research, critical thinking, innovation and community service, to drive production and productivity, the ultimate being to achieve a prosperous and empowered society by 2030 under the Second Republic.
“The theme resonates with the Second Republic’s Heritage Based Education 5.0, which empowers students through application of research skills, critical thinking, innovation and community service towards production and productivity as we seek the attainment of a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030 under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the event underscored the New Dispensation’s development trajectory anchored on private sector led innovation, modernisation and industrialisation as demonstrated by FBC’s financial support.
Guided by the Rural Development 8.0 Vision 2030 Accelerator Model implemented by the Second Republic since its inception on 24 November 2017, previously marginalised dry and arid regions are being transformed into green belts and hubs of rural industrialisation through climate smart interventions.
These include dam construction, mechanisation, provision of solarised boreholes and adoption of smart agronomic practices.
“ln this regard, irrigation schemes that include Biri, Neta, Zvavachari, Vurasha, Mutange, Babwematema and Bannockbun in Gokwe South, Mberengwa and parts of Zvishavane are now contributing to the production of maize and wheat in the Midlands Province,” he said.
Minister Ncube commended Dadaya High School for its renowned academic excellence since its establishment in 1934 and for pioneering tangible and impactful implementation of Education 5.0.
“The hectares under wheat, demonstrates the school’s dedication towards improved agricultural productivity and complements Zimbabwe’s desire to reclaim its regional bread basket status and household food security and self- sufficiency in line with the NDS (1) pillar 2 on food and nutrition security and SDG number 2 on zero hunger underpinned by promotion of sustainable agriculture,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the construction of garden flats at Dadaya High School marks a significant step in improving staff welfare and aligns with the Second Republic’s national human settlements policy, which focuses on well-planned and well governed settlements.
Last week President Mnangagwa commissioned Midlands Park Flats, which accommodate 500 families and 700 students as a demonstration of his commitment towards modern housing delivery programmes and projects that include devolution funded Mandava Garden flats in Zvishavane, Madokero in Harare, Beitbridge re-development housing project, and student accommodation at State universities.
“I am advised that Dadaya High School now requires additional classrooms, recreational facilities, metal technology and design room, ICT gadgets and a reliable solarised borehole.
“I am also aware of the school’s plan to set up a nutrition garden, an orchard, fish pond and engage in livestock production. I commit my Office to facilitate through coordination of relevant departments and ministries to ensure the mentioned plans and challenges are addressed,” said Minister Ncube .
Meanwhile, Cde Ncube said the Government was deeply concerned about the increase in drug and substance abuse cases, especially among the youth both at school and out of school.
He said the increase in cases of undesirable behaviour that includes bullying and disobeying teachers by learners is regrettable and unacceptable.
“I would like to warn learners to stay away from drug and substance abuse as it is detrimental to their physical and mental health as well as career development. In Kwekwe District, more than 54 drug bases were destroyed with over 350 arrested across the province,” he said.
Minister Ncube said police in Kwekwe recovered ganja cakes, bronco, mutoriro, zvimbwa and skin lightening creams and the operation has been expanded to cover all districts including Zvishavane, which is also a drug hotspot.”
Minister Ncube applauded First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, for complementing Government efforts aimed at eliminating the drug and substance abuse menace through awareness, rehabilitation and re-integration of victims.
