adminTHE Government, through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, has availed $20 million that will go towards the construction of new schools across the country as it moves to increase education accessibility particularly in resettlement areas in the wake of a schools deficit of over 2000.
Speaking during a briefing at Kwekwe City Council before commissioning computers donated to Dambudzo Primary School in the gold mining town, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the Government has availed $20 million to the Education Ministry to commence the construction of the schools that Government intends to build in the 2 056 places identified in 2013.
VP Mnangagwa said there was a need for the Education Ministry to speed up the construction of the schools to enable children particularly in communal areas to have increased access to education.
He said this was a partial fulfillment of President Mugabe’s vision to build an educated nation and build a legacy throughout the world.
“I am aware that Government has availed $ 20 million to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for the construction of new schools across the country. We hope that the entire province will benefit from this programme,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said Cabinet had also approved the curriculum blueprint crafted by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education following a curriculum review process that began in October last year.
“In line with Zim Asset requirements that the curriculum should be relevant and match the economic needs of our country, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education embarked on a curriculum review process in October last year. In September this year, Cabinet approved the curriculum blueprint that emerged from the review process,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said the ultimate goal of the new curriculum was to produce graduates who were self-reliant, useful and ready to contribute in a meaningful way to the development of the country. The new curriculum, Zimbabwe Education Blueprint, is set to be introduced next year.
Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe in conjunction with the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services donated 80 computers to Mukomberanwa Secondary School. The computers were officially handed over by Vice-President Mnangagwa.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora recently said Cabinet had ordered his ministry to commence construction of 100 primary and secondary schools before the end of the year.
Minister Dokora said Government was looking forward to completing the construction of the 100 schools by March next year after citing possible obstruction in the construction of the schools by rain in the forthcoming rainy season.
“In 2013 we identified 2 056 places where we want to build schools. Most of these schools will be built in resettlement areas.
“At the moment we are looking for investor partners to construct these schools. As a Ministry we have been given a task by Cabinet to build about 100 schools before the end of this year,” he said.
The construction of the schools is also in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation under the Social Services and Poverty Eradication Cluster where Government seeks to improve the quality and increase access to education and training at all levels.
Online Reporter