Brig Gen Nyikayaramba cuts the ribbon to officially open the newly-built classroom blocks
Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA)’s goodwill thrust to improve the learning environment in poor communities reached Mwenezi district where the army constructed two 2 x 2 classroom blocks at Mukume Secondary School in Ward 13 under Chief Chitanga.
The classroom blocks were officially opened last Thursday by ZNA Chief of Staff Major General Douglas Nyikayaramba.
Local labour was also utilised during the construction process after ZNA received funds from the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) and FBC bank to cater for building materials.
Delivering his speech at the occasion, Maj Gen Nyikayaramba chronicled some of the social responsibility work that ZNA was doing in the province and elsewhere and thanked all people who worked to make the project successful.
“The construction of the classroom blocks reflects the army’s role in working with other ministries to help communities to attain development. The army intervened after realising that Mukume Secondary School was in urgent need of assistance.
“Classes were conducted under tree branches. We also thank CBZ and FBC bank for disbursing funds that catered for the building materials for the two classroom blocks,” said Maj Gen Nyikayaramba.
School head Takura Whande acknowledged that before the recent intervention by ZNA, the school’s learning environment was disturbing due to substandard facilities.
On his part, Mwenezi schools inspector Philip Gumbo said the entire district has a total of 172 schools of which 102 are satellite schools.
He said a majority of the satellite schools are in a sorry state such that they also need interventions as was done at Mukume Secondary School.
The ceremony was attended by Commander 4 Infantry brigade Brig Gen Exsebious Tshuma and other various army personnel, Assistant District Administrator (DA) Martin Musakanda, CBZ provincial manager Wishnomore Sikireta and other CBZ staff, Mwenezi RDC representatives, ministry of education staff, various dignitaries and ordinary people.local