Preps for commissioning of Landa J High School on course

President Mugabe is expected to officially commission the school, which Vice President Landa John Nkomo is building.

The delegation led by the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Ray Ndhlukula, and comprising senior Government and Zanu-PF officials, visited the school on Thursday.

Among them was Dr Stephen Mahere, the former Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, who has been redeployed to the Public Service Commission, Water Resources Development Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, Matabeleland North provincial administrator Ms Latiso Dlamini and her Matabeleland South and Bulawayo counterparts, Mrs Khonzani Ncube and Mr Midard Khumalo as well the Principal Director in VP Nkomo’s office Mr Benson Martins Dube.

Others were Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Abigail Damasane, Matabeleland North provincial education director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni and deputy Bulawayo PED Mr Emmanuel Mugomba, senior Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and police officers, executives from parastatals, provincial and district officers.

In an interview Dr Ndhlukula said the school was ready for commissioning as stakeholders were satisfied with the preparations.

“We came here to assess the state of preparedness of the school ahead of its official commissioning. You are aware that this would be a double event that involves the commissioning of the school and the launch of the e-learning programme for the whole province,” said Dr Ndhlukula.

“We are satisfied with what has been done so far. We expect the few remaining final touches to be completed in the next two weeks and then we can come up with the commissioning date.”

Minister Sipepa Nkomo also expressed excitement about the school and applauded VP Nkomo for financing its development.

“We are absolutely excited about this project. It marks the coming of many development projects to Tsholotsho. For many years this district has not been developed and we hope VP Nkomo would not stop here. We are aware that VP Nkomo wants this school to be the best and to include boarding facilities,” said Minister Nkomo.

“We have installed water infrastructure at the school and sunk two boreholes. We will soon install equipment in the second borehole and put an elevated tank so that the surrounding community can also access water.”

ZNA has also been very instrumental in the construction of the school as they provided qualified builders.

The school now has five neatly painted classroom blocks including a well equipped science block. It also has a well furnished administration block and a computer laboratory with modern computer sets.

The entire school including teachers’ cottages have been electrified while the computer laboratory has been connected to the Internet.

An engine water pump and water taps have also been connected for domestic and agricultural activities.

The school has been fenced while a neatly designed gate and sign post have also been erected.

There is also a poultry project centre, which is already running with about 2 000 chicks.

When the news crew arrived at the school, workers were busy sprucing up the grounds while learning in the classrooms was in progress.

As part of preparations, a group of women from the surrounding villages were also busy drying vegetables, which would be exhibited and sold during the commissioning.

The school name was changed from Manqe Secondary to Landa J High early this year following a request from the Tsholotsho community that wanted to pay tribute to VP Nkomo for his contribution in developing the school.

The school is situated at Manqe community in Tsholotsho, about 10km west of Tsholotsho Business Centre.

VP Nkomo is on record insisting that the school would be one of the best in the country in terms of examination passes in mathematics and science subjects as well as information and communication technology (ICT) training.

He said the school was going to be a model of modern learning centres that would help curb migration of youths to countries such as South Africa and Botswana.

VP Nkomo said his dream was to see pupils from Tsholotsho attaining good passes in Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations and being able to get places at local universities such as Lupane State University and the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).

Teachers and pupils from schools in Tsholotsho have already started doing computer courses at the school.