BY SILISIWE MABALEKA BULAWAYO Metropolitan Affairs minister Judith Ncube has bemoaned the shortage of schools in Cowdray Park suburb, whose population keeps growing.
Ncube made the remarks on Thursday during a tour of Vulindlela Primary School after coming across an unusually higher number of learners at the institution.
“Enrolment figures here show that there is a need to build more schools in the suburb,” Ncube said.
“We want to protect the girl child at all costs. We are also concerned about the distance that the children travel to schools, hence more schools will shorten their distances.”
Vulindlela, which was officially opened in 2021 to decongest Tategulu, Mkhithika, Mgiqika and Cowdray Park primary schools in the suburb, has an enrolment of 895 Grade 1 to 5 learners.
The sprawling suburb has a population of about 25 000 residents.
About $114 356 155 under devolution funds has been availed for the construction of classroom blocks, caretaker’s house, toilets, septic tank, perimeter fence and supply of furniture at Vulindlela Primary School.
The school’s principal building officer Thembinkosi Ncube said: “There is a need for more schools in this side of Cowdray Park as other schools are a distance away. The enrolment we are currently having shows that we have to meet the needs of the community.”
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