Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Zimpapers Writer
POURING rain could not dampen the excitement as learners at the newly built Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe reported for lessons yesterday, marking the start of the 2026 academic year in permanent classrooms after two years of hardship.
Clad in raincoats and clutching umbrellas, pupils trudged through the wet conditions with visible excitement, eager to begin classes in a school that symbolises hope and resilience. Teachers also turned up early, ready to welcome learners to a fresh start.
The new school replaces makeshift tents that had served as classrooms since March 2023, after illegal mining activities destabilised the ground beneath the original school, causing a classroom to collapse and subsequently forcing its closure.
At the height of the crisis, 1 348 learners and 45 teachers were relocated to Russell Primary School, where overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, dust, heat and flooding severely disrupted learning.
The situation was reversed through a Government partnership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which funded the construction of the new school complete with proper classrooms, ablution facilities and sporting amenities.
Acting Kwekwe District Development Coordinator, Mr Reason Machina, said the opening of the school marked a major milestone for the community.
“This is a new dawn for the pupils, teachers and the entire Kwekwe community. After two difficult years, full-scale lessons have now resumed in a safe and conducive environment. We are happy to note that Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe has commenced full scale lessons at the new school following the decommissioning of the old school. The pupils and teachers are all excited about this development,” he said.
Parents described the development as a huge relief, saying conditions in the tented classrooms had forced some families to withdraw their children.
“Our children endured flooding, dust, heat and a shortage of toilets. Furniture and textbooks were damaged, and learning suffered. We are grateful that our children finally have a proper school. Many parents are now re-enrolling their children,” said parent Mr Arnold Mkuki.
During the commissioning of the school in October last year, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo said Public-Private Partnerships were central to infrastructure development under Vision 2030.
He said the Second Republic remains committed to ensuring that every child learns in a safe and conducive environment, leaving no one and no place behind.
“The Government is deeply encouraged by the strong interest expressed by the private sector and individuals in investing in the construction of schools across the country.
The ministry’s vision is to ensure that every Zimbabwean child has access to quality education in a conducive learning environment and so we are committed to creating an enabling environment that facilitates such partnerships,” said Minister Moyo.
