Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
A NEW ten-classroom block, with a capacity to accommodate 500 students, has been commissioned at Vengere High School in Rusape, Manicaland province, to address classroom shortages caused by surging student enrolment.
The block was constructed at a cost of US$600 000.
The development is a direct response to classroom shortages that had previously forced the school to adopt the “hot seating” system after its form one learner population drastically increased from 1 200 to 1 720 in 2022.
Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Mr Richard Gabaza, hailed the completion of the structure, stating that the new block is a “gateway to opportunity” and a reflection of “tangible infrastructure development” being achieved across the education sector under the Second Republic.
“The structure has 10 classrooms and is part of tangible infrastructure development. To our learners, this new block is a gateway to opportunity, a place where dreams are nurtured,” he said.
Vengere High School Headmaster, Mr Andrew Mvere, said the new building will ease congestion and improve learning conditions.
“The building is going to accommodate 500 students because of its size. In 2022, we were overwhelmed by the high demand for Form One places, and the school’s enrolment surged from 1,200 to 1,720 learners, causing an acute classroom shortage that resulted in hot seating,” he said.
Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, said the project aligns with the country’s vision of achieving an Upper Middle-Income Society by 2030.
“Our national vision, articulated by His Excellency, President Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, is to achieve an upper middle-income society by 2030, guided by the principle of leaving no one and no place behind. The construction of modern educational infrastructure falls under the NDS1 priority area of Human Capital Development and Innovation. Nationally, the Second Republic has embarked on an ambitious programme to construct up to 3 000 schools countrywide, with new facilities prioritised in marginalised communities,” said Advocate Mugadza.
He added that Vengere High School’s new block is part of this success story, ensuring that schools in Manicaland province match global standards while improving access to quality education.
