Shurugwi Council takes over Zimasco schools

The country's largest ferrochrome processor, Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco) which is facing serious viability problems has surrendered several schools that ran under it to Shurugwi Town Council.

Masvingo Mirror reported that this was confirmed by Shurugwi Town Council chairman, Tsungai Makore who said council has already taken over the six schools handed over to them by Zimasco.

He also added that plans are underway to turn Selukwe Primary School into a boarding school.

"We have taken over the running of the schools and that involves maintenance of the facilities and all the other aspects. The schools that have been handed over to us are Parkinson High School, Selukwe, Ironsides and RB Primary Schools.

"We have a mandate as a local authority to make sure that educational facilities are at their best to ensure that we offer quality education in areas within our jurisdiction. We have also taken up key partnerships with the Baptist Church where we will turn Selukwe Primary School into a boarding school to ensure that enrolment that had gone down can be improved," added Makore.

Zimasco which is saddled with a $65 million debt last year handed over clinics to the local authority and some private players after facing difficulties in running the facility.

The ferrochrome processor shut down its Shurugwi operation last year and retrenched its entire workforce owing to viability challenges caused by plunged metal prices on the international market.

An initial bid to be placed under judicial management was quashed last year by the High Court after the ferrochrome processor failed to comply with the law in its applications to the court.

Zimasco which is controlled by China's Sinosteel Corporation with a 73 percent stake has resubmitted a fresh application to be placed under judicial management to protect its assets from possible attachment by creditors