Govt targets 120 schools, 300 classrooms

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 Minister Torerai Moyo

Herald Reporter

THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has secured US$20 million from international partners while Treasury has committed additional funds as the Government targets the construction of 120 new schools and 300 classrooms this year to address infrastructure shortages.

Zimbabwe has a deficit of about 3 000 schools, leading to the emergence of illegal learning institutions. To tackle this challenge, the Government, through a multi-sectoral approach, plans to build new schools across the country this year.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo announced this development in the National Assembly while responding to concerns raised in the Primary and Secondary Education Parliamentary Portfolio Committee report on the state of school infrastructure.

The committee highlighted inadequate infrastructure, lack of basic amenities, lack of disability-friendly facilities, and delays in project completion due to funding constraints. Minister Moyo assured Parliament that the Government is making strides towards addressing these challenges to ensure quality education for all learners.

“I must mention that in the 2025 calendar year, we have secured adequate resources to construct new schools. We are targeting not less than 120 new schools,” he said.

“These include 30 schools whose funding we have already received from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion through the National Building Society,”

Minister Moyo explained that the NBS model for school construction has been successfully implemented at universities such as Chinhoyi University of Technology. Through this partnership, 30 schools will be built across the country’s 10 provinces.

Minister Moyo said the ministry has partnered with international organisations, including the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), which has committed US$20 million for the construction of 50 schools. Of these, 40 will be day schools while 10 will be boarding schools.

Minister Moyo emphasised that new schools will be constructed in areas where pupils travel long distances, ensuring alignment with international standards that recommend learners should not travel more than five kilometres to school.

“According to international conventions, learners should not travel more than five kilometres so priority will be those areas where learners are walking more than 5km to the nearest school,” he said.

Minister Moyo said his ministry will work with Members of Parliament to identify areas which need schools.

Government in the 2025 national budget allocated funds for the construction of 100 schools. Private individuals and corporate partners are also expected to contribute to the construction of schools and the target this year is 120 new schools.

Minister Moyo said funding for constructing of an additional 300 classrooms to accommodate growing student populations, has also been secured.

Meanwhile, Minister Moyo announced plans to support schools with funding to start income-generating projects. He noted that many schools lack sustainable income-generating initiatives, prompting the Government to introduce capacity-building programmes for school development committee members.

“The Ministry is working on evaluating the establishment and operations of commercial ventures at schools. It will also intensify training efforts focusing on project continuity and sustainability to enable the school development committees to mobilise resources effectively,” said Minister Moyo.