MDC led Harare council offers stands to teachers

Harare City Council has announced that it will give teachers employed at its schools stands to build their homes as a way of motivating them.

Acting mayor Jacob Mafume told a school ground breaking ceremony in Budiriro that council was introducing a facility for teachers to enable them access to residential stands at affordable cost.

"What we have done is … we are introducing a facility for teachers and I was speaking to the chairperson of the education and housing committee to give every teacher who is stationed at a council school a stand," Mafume said.

"You, as headmasters, must make sure that I keep that promise.

"There is no reason why teachers who are at council schools should not get a stand. We might not be able to build houses for them, but we must at least be able to give them stands. I promise with the support of the mayor, we will deliver that."

Council has embarked on a drive to build new primary schools in high density areas and so far, two ground breaking ceremonies have been undertaken with a third set for tomorrow in Kuwadzana.

Council has 33 schools and with the three projects that have been initiated set to take the total to 36.

Mafume said the new school projects will be constructed vertically as a way of saving on land and pleaded with government to avail grants as stipulated by the Constitution.

Mafume also suggested that council should start to name new projects after prominent people such as the former mayor, Muchadeyi Masunda as a way of appreciating their service to the city.

"We can't be naming our schools as Budiriro 1, Budiriro 2 and so on. Why not name the school after people like Muchadeyi Masunda? This is because some of these people have done great for our city. This will also help the school get the support which comes from being associated with such names as they attract their friends and colleagues," Mafume said.