4 new schools planned for Bulawayo

Bulawayo Province is set to benefit from the construction of four new schools in Cowdray Park, as part of a strategic Government initiative aimed at improving access to education in rapidly expanding urban suburbs and easing pressure on existing overcrowded schools.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has formally applied to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) for land to establish the schools in Cowdray Park, one of the city's fastest-growing suburbs. With a population exceeding 75,000 residents, the area has become a hotspot for housing development, outpacing the provision of public services, particularly educational facilities.

Director of communication and advocacy in the Ministry, Mr Taungana Ndoro, said the new school construction project is a response to the educational challenges facing residents of new and underserved settlements.

"The number of stands advertised corresponds with the number of schools targeted for this project," he said. "The motivation behind constructing these schools is that many new settlements, particularly in urban areas like Bulawayo, Masvingo, Gweru, Mutare, and Harare, lack adequate educational facilities. Children are often forced to travel long distances by public transport to attend school."

Ndoro said the ministry now considers it a strategic imperative to ensure that primary and secondary schools are developed within reasonable proximity to homes in all new urban settlements.

In response to the ministry's application, BCC Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube confirmed that the local authority intends to sell six stands in Cowdray Park to the Ministry for school construction. These include Stand 118840, Stand 26571, Stand 10819, and three additional plots, collectively covering approximately 27 hectares of land.

"Notice is given in terms of Section 152 (2) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) that the council intends to sell these stands as shown on drawing number BCG 590, TPB 816, BDG 1162, and diagram number 773/1994," said Mr Dube.

He added that the purchase cost will be offset against the Government's 10 percent commonage entitlement, with a US$500 regularisation fee required as per legislation. Zesa's general servitude conditions will also apply.

According to council records, the proposal was approved through a resolution passed on August 7, 2023. The public has until April 4, 2025, to submit any objections, with area diagrams and draft lease terms available for viewing at the Town Clerk's office in the Municipal Buildings.

Cowdray Park currently faces serious infrastructure deficits despite being the most populous suburb in the city. As of the 2022 census, it had more residents than entire towns such as Hwange and Gwanda. Yet, its educational facilities have failed to keep up with population growth.

Among Bulawayo's 30 council-owned schools, several in Cowdray Park are among the most overcrowded. Mahlathini Primary School, for instance, enrolled 2,795 learners in 2023, followed by Tategulu with 2,452, Mkhithika Thebe with 2,425, and Vulindlela with 1,100. The suburb currently has only three secondary schools-one government and two private-also operating under strain.

City regulations stipulate that 12 schools are needed for every 6,000 households. Based on this planning ratio, Bulawayo currently faces a shortfall of at least 65 schools across the city. The planned development of four new schools in Cowdray Park is therefore a welcome step toward addressing this deficit and enhancing access to quality education for thousands of learners.

Education stakeholders and community members have praised the initiative, expressing hope that the project will be expedited to ensure children in Cowdray Park and surrounding areas have better learning conditions and opportunities.