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NewsDay

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Govt moves to address schools shortages

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THE government has moved in to address serious school infrastructure deficit, that has left the country in need of more than 2 000 schools, especially in new farming areas.

THE government has moved in to address serious school infrastructure deficit, that has left the country in need of more than 2 000 schools, especially in new farming areas.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora said the government secured $20 million from OPEC Funding for International Development, which was enough to build 17 schools across the country.

“While commendable efforts have been made by government to provide school infrastructure to cater for the unprecedented increase in enrolment, the infrastructure remains inadequate and for some pupils, it is unsafe and not conducive to quality learning,” Dokora said.

Lazarus Dokora
Lazarus Dokora

Mashonaland West will have four schools, Midlands two, Mashonaland Central three, Masvingo two, Matabeleland North two, Mashonaland East one, Manicaland two and Matabeleland South one. Dokora said depending on how they would service the $20 million facility, more funding would be coming to build more schools and improve the infrastructure.

Tendering for the school construction had already begun, Dokora said.

Currently, due to shortage of infrastructure, pupils in some resettled areas are conducting lessons in makeshift classrooms, such as converted tobacco bans and mud houses, a situation that was affecting the quality of education.

In 2013, the government identified a deficit of 2 056 schools, but the number has since shot up, thereby piling pressure to build more schools.