News / National
Gweru MP spearheads college construction project
15 Aug 2019 at 02:25hrs | Views
Gweru Urban MP, Brian Dube has teamed up with the Church of Nazareth and Gweru City Council to construct a state-of-the-art private college in Ascot to ease shortage of high quality educational facilities in the city.
In an interview with Southern Eye yesterday, Dube, who is also the MDC deputy secretary for legal affairs, revealed that the ground-breaking ceremony was done over the weekend and construction had begun in earnest.
"The education sector in general is in a bad state in Gweru. The school infrastructure is old, dilapidated and inadequate. Schools are few and overcrowded as classes are having an average of 70-100 learners instead of the standard 30-40 pupils. This is, therefore, the background against which Ascot Christian College is being built," he said.
The college will cater for both primary and secondary education classes.
In the area where the college is being built, there are only two secondary schools, Ascot and Mambo high schools.
Ascot High School has a capacity of 700 learners, but currently has an enrolment of over 1 500 students.
"When complete, the college will go a long way in relieving pressure on Ascot High School as well as Mambo High School, which are both currently overcrowded. The project is in line with my vision of multiplying schools in Gweru urban so that access to education is heightened, " Dube said.
"So far, in my capacity as Gweru Urban MP, I have facilitated the engagement with City of Gweru to increase the land allocation for the project. I will use part of the Constituency Development Fund in the construction of the college. In addition, I am currently engaging other corporate and development partners to assist with more funding."
Dube is also facilitating renovations of a laboratory at Ascot High School to enable science students use it in the Zimbabwe School Examination Council examinations due in the third term.
Currently, Gweru only has one private college – Midlands Christian College and the new institution is set to become the second.
Last week, Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya also announced the investment of about $23 000 in the refurbishment of school infrastructure in his constituency.
In an interview with Southern Eye yesterday, Dube, who is also the MDC deputy secretary for legal affairs, revealed that the ground-breaking ceremony was done over the weekend and construction had begun in earnest.
"The education sector in general is in a bad state in Gweru. The school infrastructure is old, dilapidated and inadequate. Schools are few and overcrowded as classes are having an average of 70-100 learners instead of the standard 30-40 pupils. This is, therefore, the background against which Ascot Christian College is being built," he said.
The college will cater for both primary and secondary education classes.
In the area where the college is being built, there are only two secondary schools, Ascot and Mambo high schools.
"When complete, the college will go a long way in relieving pressure on Ascot High School as well as Mambo High School, which are both currently overcrowded. The project is in line with my vision of multiplying schools in Gweru urban so that access to education is heightened, " Dube said.
"So far, in my capacity as Gweru Urban MP, I have facilitated the engagement with City of Gweru to increase the land allocation for the project. I will use part of the Constituency Development Fund in the construction of the college. In addition, I am currently engaging other corporate and development partners to assist with more funding."
Dube is also facilitating renovations of a laboratory at Ascot High School to enable science students use it in the Zimbabwe School Examination Council examinations due in the third term.
Currently, Gweru only has one private college – Midlands Christian College and the new institution is set to become the second.
Last week, Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya also announced the investment of about $23 000 in the refurbishment of school infrastructure in his constituency.
Source - newsday
