Norton targets three new schools by next year

Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

In its drive to address educational infrastructure deficit in the town, Norton Town Council has set a target of constructing three more new schools by next year.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has called on local councils and the private sector to invest in educational infrastructure.

Mashonaland West has a deficit of 100 primary and secondary schools to ensure easy access of education to learners in rural and urban areas of the province.

The Norton council has already constructed a single-four classroom block at Norton Secondary School which opened doors last year with a similar block expected to be commissioned next month.

Speaking in an interview recently, the town secretary Mr Tongai Mandude said the drive was going to increase the number of secondary schools in the area.

“We have 10 schools that are under our purview as a council. In our quest to make sure that children have access to affordable and close-by educational facilities, we are going to see three more school starting soon and hope to open doors in 2025.

“We successfully constructed and opened Norton Secondary School to learners last year,” he said.

The council, he said, had sought the services of artisans who are inmates at Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), whom he described as professional and affordable.

“The construction of the schools included Norton Secondary School and is done using among other reserves, the beer levy. We have hired the services of inmates from ZPCS to stretch the value of each dollar while at the same time, keeping the much need funds circulating within government institutions,” he added.

The second phase of Norton Secondary School is at an advanced stage with the foundation for the second block having been set.

The required material until its completion has also been procurred with Mr Mandude optimistic of having the project completed by February.

Apart from the classroom block, the council has also invested in the construction of a caretaker’s accomodation which is a prerequisite for a school’s registration.

It has also sunk in thousands in the construction of state-of-the-art ablution facility at the 12-hectare school.

Norton Town Council’s public relations manager, Mr Francis Kachere buttressed the council’s commitment towards availing quality competence-based education.

“The school was allocated 12 hectares enough to set sporting and other facilitites. It is our hope that after handing over the school to the school development committee upon the completion of the second block and caretaker’s quarters, we are going to see the participation of parents towards upgrading of the school.”

Norton Secondary School is supposed to serve learners from Wards 1, 2 and 3.

The other schools that are expected to be constructed include Knowe High School and Kingsdale Primary and Secondary schools.

Mashonaland West deputy director in the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry, Mr Jason Dzveta, during the provincial indaba on ending the deficit in schools held last year revealed that the Government was looking for solutions to close the deficit of 126 schools.

The private sector was roped in as schools could form part of their corporate social responsibility.

He said out of the seven districts, Kariba was in dire need of a new school as exhibited by poor pass rates, high staff turnover, and state of facilities.

“We want to make sure that we leave no place and no person behind. As we push towards achieving this, we have noticed that the province has a huge deficit of primary and secondary schools. In Hurungwe there is a shortage of 30 schools while Mhondoro-Ngezi has a deficit of 14 schools,” he said.

Makonde, Zvimba, Sanyati and Chegutu where Norton falls under have a deficit of over 70 schools.

At already established schools, the government noted that more classrooms and laboratories were needed as the population continues to rise.