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Margaret Matibiri and Ropafadzo Ndangariro
Government has urged the private sector to help local councils to build schools in their jurisdictions to curb the shortage of learning institutions. Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni recently said the city had a shortage of about 392 primary schools.
Speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony for a council school in Glaudina, Harare, yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima encouraged the private sector to work with the Government in ensuring that education was easily accessible.
“I have been advised that the ceremony which has seen us gathering today is as a result of council partnering with Naldline, a private company owned by Zimbabweans,” he said.
“They agreed that council would give them land on which they build their school and, in turn, they are now building a council school. These are the kind of partnerships that we want because already here in Glaudina, two schools are being built as a result of the agreement they have made. In previous years, we would not allow private companies to build schools on Government land, but now we are reversing that because we need the schools.
“We are now inviting more private companies to partner with us and invest in the same way Naldline has done. Let us work together towards availing necessary resources for schools and in schools.” In a speech read on his behalf by Harare deputy mayor Councillor Enock Mupamawonde, Clr Manyenyeni said: “Harare has 178 registered primary schools run by either council, Government, private sector and the community.
“According to the country’s planning standards, there should be a primary school for every 500 residential stands. With Harare’s housing stock standing at 285 000, this means if the said planning standard is observed, the city should be having 570 primary schools and this schools backlog has resulted in over-enrolment at existing schools, resulting in hot-sitting arrangements.”
Online Reporter