Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube- Matutu – [email protected]
GWANDA Municipality is targeting to build four more primary schools and a secondary school in the mining town to ease congestion in existing schools.
Gwanda mayor Alderman Thulani Moyo said the target is to increase the number of council run schools in the town.
The local authority is in the process of building Phakama Primary School which is operating as an annexure of Jahunda Primary School. The school which has one block is housing ECD B learners. It was constructed using devolution funds. A second block is under construction. Alderman Moyo said the target for council is to build three classroom blocks and then hand over the school to the SDC to further develop the school.
Alderman Moyo said devolution funds have gone a long way in assisting council to meet its obligations.
“This town is rapidly growing and the population at schools is too high with Jahunda Primary School sitting at 2 300 pupils while Senondo is at 1 700 and St Christophers is at 900. We need about four more primary schools and we have identified a site for a secondary school. The distance walked by some children is very long hence the need for these schools.
“We needed to construct a new school in Garikai/ Hlalani Kuhle and devolution came in the handy is seeing us build Phakama Primary School. Once we have constructed three classroom blocks we will hand over the project to the SDC to continue developing the school and we will move on to Spitzkop Primary School. We look forward to receiving devolution funds for this year which will help up to make progress with these projects,” he said.
In 2020, residents decided to spearhead the construction of Phakama Primary school by mobilising resources. The residents from the ward contributed US$1 each towards buying building material which was used to construct a slab for the classroom block.
Gwanda Municipality later came in and used devolution funds towards constructing the classroom block and purchasing furniture.
With social amenities and infrastructure development being some of the major pillars of the National Development Strategy (NDS1), local authorities have used devolution funds to augment efforts by communities and other stakeholders through ensuring that projects are completed timeously.
Devolution funds are assisting local authorities fulfil their obligation across the country through development of key infrastructure such as clinics, classroom blocks, roads, bridges among other facilities. Devolution funds have transformed several districts in the Matabeleland region as the Second Republic steps up the inclusive developmental philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind.
The devolution programme is one of the key pillars under the NDS1. The overarching goal of the NDS1 is to ensure high, accelerated, inclusive and sustainable economic growth as well as socio-economic transformation and development as the country moves towards an upper middle-income society by 2030.
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