The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council is looking forward to opening its first ever secondary school next year after using part of the devolution funds to work on the project.
The secondary school has been on the cards for a long time now with the local authority at one point calling for organisations especially churches to take up the construction of the school.
Rujeko Secondary School is the first secondary school to be constructed by the city fathers who run most of the primary schools in the city namely Rujeko, Shakashe, Vurombo, Runyararo, Francis Aphiri and Dikwindi primary schools.
With the aid of the devolution funds the city fathers are optimistic of completing the project next year.
The school will ease pressure and reduce the distance for pupils from Rujeko suburb on the four secondary schools which are Mucheke High, Masvingo Christian College, Ndarama High School and Victoria High School.
Masvingo City Mayor Councillor Collen Maboke said the construction was in progress and they were hopeful that the school would open and start enrolling in the 2022 first term as a satellite.
“Two classroom blocks are at roof level and one toilet block is under construction.
We are optimistic that the school will open its doors to the pupils during the first term of 2022 and first operate as a satellite school to Ndarama High School while full registration will be underway,” he said.
According to the latest council minutes, the school will run as a satellite of Ndarama High as the local authority has not yet registered it with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
“It was reported that there was significant progress on site and two classroom blocks were constructed and are at roof level.
The need for construction of ablution facilities for the school to enable opening was highlighted.
It was also reported that there were other requirements by the Ministry of Education that need to be fulfilled including furnishing of the classroom blocks and registration of the school.”
“It was reported that the council is requested to apply to the Ministry of Education for a satellite status.
This status can only be granted upon construction completion of the blocks and toilets.
Authority was being sought from council to register Rujeko Secondary School as a satellite school of Ndarama High School, the nearest secondary school.
The registration of the school will be done once all construction of classroom blocks, administration block and ablution facilities had been completed,” reads part of the minutes.
However, the health, housing committee raised concern on the delays on construction of the school due to expired contracts for workers and the members highlighted the prioritisation of such matters to enable completion of the school before schools opening.
The committee resolved that there was a need to extend the contracts of the workers engaged in the construction of the school to expedite the work so that significant progress could be achieved before schools open.
