China hands over school to Zimbabwe govt

THE Chinese Government yesterday handed over China-Africa Friendly Primary School to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education at a colorful ceremony held at the school site in Lupane. The school which was built at a cost of US$1,5 million will cater for children from more than 700 households and(image) has a capacity of housing 320 pupils at the moment. Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Huang Ping said his country supported education as it was critical to development.

"Education is always critical to the development of a country and Zimbabwe enjoys great strength with its highest literacy rate in Africa of about 92 percent. As Zimbabwe's all weather friend, China is more than willing to assist Zimbabwe to carry forward such fine educational tradition and cultivate more talents with competitive edge in the labour market," said the Ambassador.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora thanked the Chinese Government for answering to Zimbabwe's call for assistance.

"Our Chinese friends always answer to the call of our solidarity and partnership forged many years ago in our common struggle for national independence and sovereignty. The project is a comprehensive one consisting of seven primary classrooms and three infant classrooms, a computer lab and staff offices," he said.

The Chinese Government also provided sporting facilities that included a 300-metre perimeter athletics track, a football pitch, multi-purpose basketball court and other disciplines that need hard surfacing. Stationary worth US$5 000 was also donated to kick start the school.

Dr Dokora highlighted that the economic blueprint Zim Asset's approach to development encourages partnership and synergies and in the absence of these partnerships, he said, the ministry would not be receiving a donation like that of the school that will benefit the Lupane community. He said the Government was making efforts to address issues of infrastructure in the country.

"Any assistance in the form of infrastructure is most welcome; the innovation Joint Venture Partnership programme will be signed off where the private sector will participate in school infrastructure. The Chinese Government has shown that they are our all-weather friend by joining hands with the Government in making this dream come true," said Dr Dokora.

The issue of teacher accommodation was also highlighted. The school is yet to construct houses for the teachers. Dr Dokora said without housing the school can easily be regarded as incomplete and said he was hopeful the houses will be done before schools open next term.

The provincial education director for Matabeleland North Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni said she was elated at the gesture and said the school will see schoolchildren accessing education nearer.

"No child will cross the Victoria Falls highway to access a school. Mtshibini that they used to go to is a small school and we want it to remain small. This new school will not be a white elephant, already we have 213 primary school children who are waiting to start school at this new place. The schools capacity is about 700," she said.

Chief Mabhikwa who was at the ceremony lamented that the province was not able to churn out qualified teachers as they have no training college.

"We do not have the qualified teachers to teach at this new school and other schools because we have no teacher's training college in this part of the country. If we could be assisted to establish one then we will be able to have them teaching the children," he said. Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group that constructed the school is based in China.