Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma in Bulilima
PRIVATE Public Partnerships (PPPs) have been earmarked as one of the cornerstones by Government that will help achieve the target to build 3 000 new schools as part of measures of addressing the shortage of elementary education institutions countrywide.
This was said by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu during an occasion to celebrate the belated 41st birthday of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu at Ntunungwe Secondary School in Bulilima District yesterday. Minister Ndlovu is also the Member of Parliament for Bulilima East.
The school which was commissioned in 2015 now has two blocks and a science laboratory through the leadership of legislator, Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu. Dr Ndlovu said smart partnerships will help to address the challenge that Government wants to tackle by year 2025.
“Focus is also on negotiating with the private sector and other partners to achieve this by 2025. We have already started negotiations with stakeholders, business community and churches to ensure we will have achieved President Mnangagwa and Government’s target. The Second Republic is hands on in reviving the education sector to transforming Zimbabwe to an upper middle economy by 2030.
“As I was assigned to the post of Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, I was assigned to address a number of challenges faced by children in accessing schools. Children at primary level should not travel for more than five kilometres to get to school and for children at secondary level they should not travel more than 10 kilometres,” she said.
Speaking at the same function, Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the community of Bulilima East was united to ensure that they establish two new schools by next year.
“We are not stopping here as a constituency but have also started to work on the construction of two new schools.
This is all due to the collaboration of the local community, the diasporans who are eager to change the life of the future generation in tandem with the Government,” he said.
In his quest to ensure that Ntunungwe Secondary School science laboratory is ready once finished, Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu is paying fees for an unspecified number of local girls and boys who are studying science oriented degrees at Midlands State University who have pledged two years of service at the school after completing their studies.-@mthabisi_mthire
Bongani Ndlovu