…Mwenezi still underdeveloped
Brighton Chiseva
MWENEZI – Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Mwenezi West Priscilla Zindari Moyo has lamented bureaucratic measures that one has to get through when applying for approval to construct infrastructure like schools saying they are hindering development.
Moyo was speaking during a tour of Nyangambi Turf Primary School in Mwenezi by Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for monitoring the implementation of government programmes Joram Gumbo.
Moyo said Mwenezi was largely a resettlement area and had no schools but it is taking too long to get approval to construct schools in needy areas.
“The problem we have here in resettlement areas is that it is a big challenge to get approval to construct schools here. Minister, please help us so that approval for construction of schools in resettlement areas be granted in time. Our kids are staying far away from their parents because there are no schools simply because approval letters are taking time. For example this school; I had to travel up and down a lot because the authorities could not issue aproval for this school. It took long for the school to be pegged and it was not because parents were not forth coming but it’s because of the laws that are in place,” said Moyo
She said she came into office when there was nothing to show that there was a school and children were learning in shacks made of grass but now it was better though there is still a long way to go.
“When I first came here, there was nothing to indicate that there is a school, there were shacks but now it’s better, we have two blocks but still most learners are still learning in the open,” said Moyo
Nyangambi Turf Primary School was established in 2002 at the height of the land reform programme and did not have any meaningful infrastructure since then until the first block was constructed in 2020 after TellZim News wrote a story on the state of affairs at the school prompting Unicef to intervene.
The second block which is almost complete was constructed by students from Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre through devolution funds.
In his speech Gumbo urged the private sector and communities to join government efforts by providing local resources including labour to develop schools.
“I have been briefed that the community participated in the construction of the classroom block. Indeed parents should complement government efforts by contributing towards the development of schools in your communities through offering various services including labour. I also call upon private sector players to join hands with government and help in the development of the school,” said Gumbo
He said he will engage relevant authorities to attend to outstanding challenges at the school so that they are addressed.
“I would like to assure you that my office will be engaging the relevant authorities to ensure that these challenges are attended to,”
Mwenezi RDC Chairperson Joram Ncube said as a district they pledged to use devolution funds to needy areas than simply dividing the funds amongst the wards.
“Here we did not just divide the money amongst our wards. We did what we call positive discrimination where the funds were directed to needy areas of the district and this school is one of them,” said Ncube
The school is still in dire need of resources to meet set standards as the majority of the pupils are still learning under trees using bricks and stones as chairs.
Only ECD and grade seven pupils have classes and chairs as well as tables.
The school head Bernad Chauke said they were still far from making Nyangambe Turf a standard school.
“We are happy with the progress we have so far but it’s still not enough, we need more blocks and staff houses to make our school better. We call upon goverment and other stakeholders to chip in and asist us,” said Chauke.
One parent, Tolerance Gumbi from Kovogo Village said the situation was still bad at the school as the available classes could not accommodate all pupils if it rains prompting pupils to abscond classes when it is raining.
“The situation was bad and it’s now better but these two blocks cannot accommodate all pupils when it’s raining, so we appeal to responsible authorities to help so that we have more classes and staff accommodation at our school,” said Gumbi.
