News / Regional
Govt, Chinese firm build $1 million school in Lupane
11 Dec 2015 at 05:27hrs | Views
A Chinese firm has partnered with Government to build a primary school in Lupane which will benefit hundreds of pupils from the area and is targeted for completion in February next year.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said this during a Press conference held in Harare on Tuesday as he gave an update on schools infrastructure development.
"Recognising the imperative duty to provide a conducive teaching and learning environment for children and teachers, and improve learning outcomes (a priority identified in the in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) blueprint - October 2013 - December 2018, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has engaged partners for the provision of school infrastructure.
"One of the partners that have been engaged to develop school infrastructure through joint venture partnership is a Chinese company. We have invited the Chinese company, that is, the China State Construction Engineering Company to get a preview on the progress on what has been made in developing school infrastructure in Lupane. "As a ministry, we are pleased that the company has so far managed to construct three state-of-the-art blocks for learners and one administration block at the site. The company is also developing a sports field for the learners.
"The whole project, which involves the construction of the teachers' houses, is expected to be completed before 12 February 2016," he said.
Dr Dokora said the move follows the 2 056 schools deficit realised countrywide after a mapping exercise was conducted by the ministry in 2013.
The ministry set a target to build 2 056 schools around the country as a measure to provide decent learning facilities and de-congest the already existing schools.
Dr Dokora said the ministry was also working towards planning for the bulge in enrolment which has since been realised in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) by the increase in enrolment figures. About 90 000 children enrolled for ECD in 2014 but the figure has shot to 473 000 currently.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said this during a Press conference held in Harare on Tuesday as he gave an update on schools infrastructure development.
"Recognising the imperative duty to provide a conducive teaching and learning environment for children and teachers, and improve learning outcomes (a priority identified in the in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) blueprint - October 2013 - December 2018, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has engaged partners for the provision of school infrastructure.
"One of the partners that have been engaged to develop school infrastructure through joint venture partnership is a Chinese company. We have invited the Chinese company, that is, the China State Construction Engineering Company to get a preview on the progress on what has been made in developing school infrastructure in Lupane. "As a ministry, we are pleased that the company has so far managed to construct three state-of-the-art blocks for learners and one administration block at the site. The company is also developing a sports field for the learners.
"The whole project, which involves the construction of the teachers' houses, is expected to be completed before 12 February 2016," he said.
Dr Dokora said the move follows the 2 056 schools deficit realised countrywide after a mapping exercise was conducted by the ministry in 2013.
The ministry set a target to build 2 056 schools around the country as a measure to provide decent learning facilities and de-congest the already existing schools.
Dr Dokora said the ministry was also working towards planning for the bulge in enrolment which has since been realised in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) by the increase in enrolment figures. About 90 000 children enrolled for ECD in 2014 but the figure has shot to 473 000 currently.
Source - chronicle
