PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa will on Friday officially open a primary school in Chivhu whose construction was funded by a non-governmental organisation and opened its doors to pupils almost a decade ago, NewsDay has established.
Makumimavi Primary School is one of the 17 schools across the country that will be commissioned by Mnangagwa on the same day.
Construction of the schools was funded through the US$20 million donated by the Opec Fund for International Development (OFID).
Mnangagwa’s scheduled visit has sparked criticism among Chivhu residents, who yesterday, said it was a waste of government resources to commission a school completed five years ago.
NewsDay established that the construction of Makumimavi Primary School started in 2015 and was completed in 2019, although the school had been operational since 2003.
Records show that the then Primary and Secondary Education ministry secretary Tumisang Thabela toured the school following its completion in September 2019.
“It’s really not a new school,” an official who declined to be named told NewsDay. “We have held several events at the school but just that the President had not yet visited the school.”
In a statement ahead of Mnangagwa’s commissioning of the schools, Primary and Secondary ministry said the development was a significant step towards ensuring quality and equitable access to education across Zimbabwe, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- NoViolet Bulawayo’s new novel is an instant Zimbabwean classic
- Jah Prayzah, Zanu PF rekindles ‘lost love’
- Bank workers appeal to Ncube for tax relief
- Indosakusa marks 21-year anniversary milestone
Keep Reading
“Government through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education continues to emphasise that geography should not be a barrier to quality education, and that teachers should feel at home in their schools to ensure stability and continuity in the education system,” part of the statement read.
“This step of commissioning the construction of Makumimavi Primary School and 16 other schools in the nation is a great milestone and the advent of efforts to ensure that the fundamental architecture of the country's internationally acclaimed system of education remains intact and strengthened.
“The 17 new government schools are set to transform the educational landscape in Zimbabwe, providing modern facilities and resources to pupils and teachers in rural and remote areas. This investment in education is a crucial component of the country's drive towards sustainable development and economic transformation.”
Residents are up in arms with the authorities at the Chikomba Rural District Council, who have reportedly spent thousands of United States dollars in preparation for Mnangagwa’s visit, including buying clothes made from First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s national dress cloth for council employees.
Business came to a standstill at the local authority since Monday last week as council workers had been engaged in meetings and various tasks in preparation of Mnangagwa’s visit.
A council official, who spoke to NewsDay on conditions of anonymity, confirmed that the local authority had bought uniforms made from national dress cloth for its workers.
“It’s a directive that we should be dressed in the national dress on the occasion and that government officials should be at the forefront of supporting the national dress.
“This is a national event and government funds most of the expenses. But we have also been catering for other expenses. You know the usual things to support government events.”
