A GROUP of Zimbabweans based South Africa have mobilised resources to build a state-of-the-art private boarding and day school in Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North province.
The construction of Royal Avenue High School in Tsholotsho also dispels the view that people from the district lacked and do not care about education.
According to reports, the school is set to be officially opened in January next year while veteran educationist Ben Moyo was appointed its principal.
Moyo who is a retired headmaster, having headed Masiye Phambili College and Minda Mission brings a wealth of experience after running a private boarding and day school.
Moyo has started scouting for teachers and is advertising available learning spaces for pupils.
In an interview yesterday, Moyo said the project was still work in progress with the school set to open in January.
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“This is a group of Tsholotsho people in the diaspora who obtained the land under Chief Gampu at Simanje area. They started building it and now they are ready to open the school next year,” Moyo said.
“It will be both a boarding and day school. Boarders will pay US$650 per term, with a deposit of US$30 non-refundable. Day scholars will pay US$250, with a deposit of US$15, which is also non-refundable.
“I am the principal and so I will be assuming duty very soon. Right now, we are recruiting learners from all over. The subjects we are offering are the traditional ones such as English, History, Science, Accounts, Agriculture, French, Mathematics, Music and Computers.”
He said the school is located in the heart of a rural community and its agriculture teachers will also be capacitating villagers with technical skills.
“The idea is also to correct the impression that people of Tsholotsho are not educated and to stem the number of people leaving Tsholotsho to become undocumented immigrants in South Africa.
“So that is why the fees are made affordable for the day scholars and boarders can come from any part of the country,” he said.
The construction of Royal Avenue High School in Tsholotsho is a sign that many Zimbabweans in the diaspora are benefiting their home country through infrastructural development, foreign currency remittances, charity works, among other means.
According to the government, diaspora remittances reached US$16,3 billion in the past 10 years as more Zimbabweans based outside the country send money back home to support their families.
It is also estimated that approximately 3 million Zimbabweans are living outside the country, having fled both political and economic challenges back home.
Presenting his state of social services and poverty eradication in Zimbabwe, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister July Moyo said the country was experiencing massive labour migration.
He said estimates state that 3 million Zimbabweans live in South Africa, 400 000 in the United Kingdom, 200 000 in Botswana and 20 000 in Australia.