New Globe and Phoenix Primary School nears completion

THE construction of the new Globe and Phoenix Primary School is nearing completion, marking the end of a difficult period where pupils endured makeshift learning conditions after their original school collapsed due to illegal mining activities.

The US$200 000 project, located next to Globe and Phoenix Secondary School, is now 78 percent complete and is expected to be ready for occupation when schools reopen next term. The completion of the project will benefit 785 learners, who have been attending classes in temporary structures since the decommissioning of the original 1925-built school.

Learners are attending lessons in tents at Sally Mugabe Primary School and other temporary facilities after the old school became structurally unsafe. The new school will offer a safe and permanent environment for teaching and learning.

During a tour of the construction site on Wednesday, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, expressed satisfaction with the pace of the work and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to infrastructure development under the Second Republic.

“The new Globe and Phoenix Primary School is now at 78 percent completion and is targeted for full completion by September. The decommissioning of the old school negatively impacted teaching and learning as learners subsequently relocated to temporary structures at Russel Primary,” he said.

The minister said this development is not only a response to a crisis but also a proactive step towards achieving inclusive, quality education in line with Vision 2030.

The project has so far seen the completion of nine double-classroom blocks and a staff room. Roofing is underway, while plastering, plumbing, electrification, glazing, flooring and furniture installation are ongoing. Water has already been connected to the site.

Minister Ncube said the construction aligns with the Second Republic’s thrust to modernise education infrastructure and improve learning conditions as part of the broader National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1). He also noted that the project supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Four on inclusive and equitable quality education.

“I commend President Mnangagwa for fostering inclusive development through partnerships with local authorities, churches and the private sector, which continues to strengthen Zimbabwe’s reputation for high literacy,” said Minister Ncube.

He applauded stakeholders, including the Latter-Day Saints Church, Kwekwe City Council, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Globe and Phoenix Secondary School and Russel Primary School for mobilising resources in support of the project.

“This underscores the Second Republic’s development philosophy of Nyika inovakwa, igotongwa, igonamatirwa nevene vayo. We are our own liberators, proffering local solutions to local challenges, “he said.

The construction project employs 50 workers and includes seven two-classroom blocks with trusses installed, five more at the roofing stage, as well as administration and ablution facilities.

Minister Ncube said the project adds to the growing list of infrastructure developments being rolled out across the country under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, aimed at transforming livelihoods through improved access to education, health and other essential services within a five kilometre radius.