Invest in decongesting public schools-local authorities urged

Walter Nyamukondiwa Mashonaland West Bureau

Councils and private players have a role to complement government’s effort to improve quality and access to education through investing in the building of more schools to decongest existing ones, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has said.

High student enrolment at some schools has contributed to an increase in drug and substance abuse, especially in high-density areas, owing to difficulties in the monitoring of students.

Schools such as Nemakonde High, which has the second highest student population in the country with around 3 100 learners, are battling the scourge of indiscipline, drug and substance abuse.

Private sector investment in education has played a leading role in decongesting existing schools and Government says more should be done to fill existing gaps.

Speaking at the third anniversary celebrations of Matanah Christian Group of Colleges in Chinhoyi, Makonde district schools inspector Mr Solomon Katoma said parents and the society join in the fight against drug and substance abuse.

“So, if we can build seven more secondary schools in Chinhoyi we will be able to decongest Nemakonde High School. It is good to manage smaller schools than having mega schools, which at times in terms of discipline we face problems,” said Mr Katoma.

“We don’t want the children to be congested there in our primary schools such as Chinhoyi Primary, Chikonohono and of late Manyame and Lomagundi. We want to decongest the schools and alleviate hot sitting.”

Councils and private players, he said, should step in to provide land and build schools.

“If the powers that be in our councils and private players come in we can have more schools so that we decongest the schools that are already congested.

“Council has shown us the stands for the construction of schools but without action it becomes meaningless,” said Mr Katoma.

He lauded private schools including Matanah Group of Colleges for helping absorb some learners by enrolling more than 300 learners from the initial 36 in 2020.

Matanah Christian Group of Colleges director, Simbarashe Matumbike, said he opened the school after realising a shortage of secondary schools in Chinhoyi.

There are plans to build a primary school and polytechnic college.

Guest of honour and Schweppes human resources director Mr Nathaniel Madzivanyika hailed Matanah College for adopting Government’s Vision 2030 and Education 5.0 saying it should go further and set up an innovation hub at the school.

Makonde district has 118 primary schools, with Chinhoyi needing an additional 10 more schools while there are 58 secondary schools.