By Beverly Bizeki
Masvingo City Council has turned down three request proposals for change-of-use of residential stands to private colleges on the basis that they did not meet the minimum required sizes for institutional stands.
The development comes at a time when there is critical shortage of both primary and secondary schools in the city, with private, and mostly unregistered, schools now absorbing some of the learners.
Council’s Public Works and Planning Committee minutes dated August 24 revealed that most of the applications did not meet the required minimum sizes, with the standard size for a secondary school being 6.5ha.
“Council has resolved to recommend that the application by Mr Adriel Pururu for change of use on stand number 6622 Mugagao Street Mucheke, Masvingo from residential to institutional (Private College) be turned down on the basis that the stand measures 649 square metres and therefore does not meet the minimum stand size requirements institutional use.
“That the application by Great Zimbabwe Realtors for change of use on stand number 9126 and 9126B, Production, Brigade Street, Chesvingo, Masvingo from residential to institutional (private college) be turned down on the basis that the stand measures 800 square metres and therefore does not meet the minimum stand size requirements for institutional use.
“That the application by Jayden Family Trust for change of use on stand number 6542 Batsire Street, Masvingo from residential to institutional (secondary school) be turned down on the basis that the stand measures 450 square metres and therefore does not meet the minimum stand size requirements of a secondary school site +/- 6.5ha,” read part of the minutes.
Commenting on the committee recommendations in a Full Council Meeting held recently, ward 10 councilor Sengerai Manyanga said there was need for council to be fair in issuing operational licenses saying there were other schools already operating with the same sizes as the ones turned down.
Manyanga further said it was only ideal for council to avail stands for institutions than just closing the schools without giving them an option to regularize and operate legally.
“There are some colleges that have stand sizes as the ones turned down that we all know of operating across the city. How about we just treat everyone the same? They are operating with council licenses so if we are going to turn down other requests we must close the ones already operating. We are city fathers and must treat people equally.
“We should create institutional stands since we have seen that residents have an interest. We must enforce the closing down of these schools so that if they are interested they can come and get the proper stands. The public works committee must work to avail these stands quickly,” said Manyanga.
Ward 9 councilor Benard Muchokwa seconded Manyanga and said council was shooting themselves in the foot by displaying double standards as there were schools already operating illegally with council not doing anything about it.
“We have a lot of schools operating without meeting our standards, does this mean council is not aware of it? We are not doing our part and we are not being honest with what we do as council. If the schools are operating illegally why are we not closing them down?” asked Muchokwa.
Private colleges mushrooming in the city have become a cause for concern, with some lacking basic amenities like proper ablution facilities. These colleges, some of which are alleged to operate only at night are said to have up to 500 learners each, despite operating in a small space.
