Only 5 schools built in Byo

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PRIMARY and Secondary Education deputy minister Paul Mavima has revealed that the government built only five schools in the provinces of Bulawayo and the Midlands in the past 10 years out of the total of 105 constructed countrywide within the same period.

PRIMARY and Secondary Education deputy minister Paul Mavima has revealed that the government built only five schools in the provinces of Bulawayo and the Midlands in the past 10 years out of the total of 105 constructed countrywide within the same period.

CHIEF REPORTER

According to the parliamentary Hansard, both provinces had two primary and three secondary schools built. Giving a breakdown in Parliament on Wednesday, Mavima said: “The total number of schools constructed in the last 10 years is 66 primary and 39 secondary schools, adding up to 105.”

Mavima said within the period under review, the government constructed seven schools in Matabeleland North (two primary and five secondary schools), eight in Mashonaland West, Harare (10), Mashonaland East and Matabeleland South (11), Mashonaland Central (12), while Manicaland and Masvingo had the highest number built at 18.

Bulawayo has 29 schools run by the city council.

In June, Southern Eye reported that the Japanese embassy and World Vision came to the rescue of Mateteni villagers in the Bubi district of Matabeleland North by building a brand new primary school replacing the mud structures that served as classrooms.

Parents had built the mud school comprising three huts in 2006 to save their children from walking more than 20km to the nearest school after they were resettled in the area.

Mateteni had never had a school since independence in 1980.

The grass-thatched mud school roofs had collapsed and one hut had walls partially destroyed by the heavy rains that lashed the country at the beginning of this year.

The mud school was beyond repair and there was no furniture in the hut classrooms and children had to sit on the floor when attending lessons, often exposed to the elements.

The pupils were exposed to the severe cold weather during winter and endured the scorching summer heat.

In 2013, the Zanu PF government said it planned to engage all-weather Chinese friends to build infrastructure at several satellite schools located in the new resettlement areas where pupils are learning under makeshift buildings.