The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube and Samantha Moyo in Victoria Falls
VICTORIA Falls City Council is constructing a new secondary school in a bid to reduce congestion at the existing Mosi-oa-Tunya High and also increase availability of learning infrastructure in the resort city.
Confirming the development, the Mayor, Councillor Somveli Dlamini, said Victoria Falls with an estimated population of over 40 000 had one public secondary school, the local authority-run Mosi-oa-Tunya that was opened in 1982 as an upper-top at Chamabondo Primary School, the only other council run learning institution.
Councillor Somveli Dlamini
He said although there were two private secondary schools, Mkhosana Seventh Day Adventist and Dadani Secondary as well as a number of private colleges that have sprouted in the city, there was a shortage of public schools with Mosi-oa-Tunya enrolling close to 2 000 pupils.
Council has been billing residents an education levy for improvement of education facilities, money which is being used to construct the new Mosi-oa-Tunya 2 High School.
The local authority has identified a 3,5ha piece of land in Mkhosana and partnered Buy-a-Brick Foundation for the project.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held during the week to mark the start of construction of what will be the first school to have double-storey buildings in Victoria Falls.
Clr Dlamini said the local authority is alive to the challenges posed by the growing population of its citizens which has called for an increase in the number of schools.
“This occasion serves as an answer to the clarion call to the need to boost educational facilities in the city. Victoria Falls has witnessed the growth of Mosi-oa-Tunya into a force to reckon with in the educational sector which has resulted in the institution churning out prodigies in different sectors of the socio-economic spectrum.
“The institution has for long been congested against the background of the city’s growth in terms of population and size. Victoria Falls is the nations’ tourism capital and as such there is a need to invest in the development of tourism through enabling educational institutions,” said Clr Dlamini.
He said the local authority remains open to partnerships with the private sector in delivering quality services to its community.
Clr Dlamini said development of education in the city speaks to the Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 and also addresses the tenets of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) on infrastructure development.
“The council’s strategic plan emphasises the need for another public secondary school in Mkhosana and the local authority has managed to deliver and bring that to reality through its internal funds and a donation from Buy-a-Brick Foundation,” he said.
Clr Mathew Muleya of Hwange Rural District Council ward 19, and is also Zanu-PF District Co-ordinating Committee chair for Hwange encouraged the corporate world to partner with local authorities in developmental projects.
“On behalf of the ruling party Zanu-PF, we are ready to assist the council through our structures so that the vision is realised. I also encourage the Member of Parliament for Hwange West (Godfrey Dube) to chip in with CDF funds.
Buy-a-Brick Foundation and Victoria Falls City Council have demonstrated true love for the people and it is us who can develop our areas, no miracle or people from elsewhere can do it for us,” he said.
Member of Parliament for Hwange West (Godfrey Dube)
Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association secretary Mr Nguquko Tshili thanked Buy-a-Brick-Foundation for the gesture and encouraged residents and other businesses to embrace development and emulate those that have partnered the local authority and Government.
Buy-a-Brick Foundation, is a Victoria Falls-based humanitarian organisation established 15 years ago and has been involved in the building of 12 schools and a clinic among other projects in Monde, Chidobe, Chisuma, Sizinda, Ndlovu, Jambezi, Matetsi and Masuwe outside Victoria Falls, working with Team Africa of USA.
Mr Khumbulani Tshambo
It has invested over US$500 000 in building educational and health infrastructure in the last decade.
Buy-a-Brick Foundation coordinator Mr Khumbulani Tshambo said the organisation was pro-development.
“We are so happy to partner council and it is our hope that more developments will be made through this partnership.
We have been constructing schools in the rural areas around Victoria Falls and we also work with partners. My plea is that let’s all jealously guard this property as one of our own so that it serves its purpose to develop our education and city,” said Mr Tshambo. – @ncubeleon.
