peterLeonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
SCHOOLS run by the Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production (ZIMFEP) will soon receive Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (Zupco) buses to facilitate movement of teachers and learners at the institutions.
ZIMFEP is an organisation under the Zanu-PF Department of Education that is headed by Dr Jorum Gumbo, the party’s Secretary for Education in the Politburo.
It was established before independence at refugee camps in Zambia and Mozambique by the late President Robert Mugabe and late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo to help youths that dropped out of school to join the liberation struggle.
The founders decided to mobilise resources and bought farms in each province where schools were established to include such people in the education system.
ZIMFEP schools include Fatima primary and secondary in Lupane, George Silundika High in Nyamandlovu, JZ High in Matabeleland South, Nkululeko High in Midlands, Mupfure primary and secondary schools as well as Mupfure College in Mashonaland West, Rusununguko High in Mashonaland East, Chindunduma 1 and 2 in Mashonaland Central and Mavhudzi High in Manicaland. Only Masvingo has no ZIMFEP school.
The schools had over the years been taken over by Government and the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has revived ZIMFEP in the spirit of leaving no-one and no place behind, with learners from disadvantaged communities benefiting from Presidential scholarships to study at the ZIMFEP schools.
Dr Gumbo visited Fatima High on Friday to hand over a truck donated to the school by ZIMFEP and to welcome 24 learners from Binga.
He said he had already engaged President Mnangagwa appealing for buses in his capacity as Secretary for Education in the Politburo with the aim of improving the welfare of teachers and learners.
“We are going to provide 10 Zupco buses for the ZIMFEP schools so that each time they want to go to town or have holiday trips they have a bus to use.
“My plea, which I have made to His Excellency is that we have got ZIMFEP institutions and because he has a facility where he is getting these Zupco buses, I have written to him to provide us with 10 buses so that we have one at each of our ZIMFEP schools,” said Dr Gumbo.
@ncubeleon
Online Reporter