Story by Aifheli Mudau
THE Government, in partnership with development partners, has commenced the construction of Limpopo Secondary School in Beitbridge West, a move set to significantly improve access to quality education in the area.
The project is expected to ease the burden on learners who have been travelling long distances to access secondary education, while also addressing social challenges associated with such journeys.
Villagers from Limpopo have welcomed the development, describing it as a timely intervention by the Second Republic that will bring education closer to the community, particularly benefiting the girl child.
“As a woman, it was painful to see children, especially girls, failing to complete their Ordinary Level due to the long distances they travelled to school. Girls were the most affected, with some getting impregnated along the way. Travelling between 22 and 27 kilometres is not a joke, and many ended up dropping out. This school will really save our children,” said one community member during.
Local leadership has also hailed the project, saying it will enhance safety, improve education outcomes and curb social vices among learners.
Limpopo Village Head, Mr Livie Dube, said the school will bridge a long-standing gap in access to education.
“Our children were travelling close to 27 kilometres to Swereki or Shashe Secondary School. As parents, we feared for their safety. The coming of this school will go a long way in addressing that challenge,” he said.
Beitbridge West Legislator, Honourable Thusani Ndou, noted that the project is particularly significant for the girl child.
“This project has come at the right time. The girl child was the most affected, with many falling pregnant and dropping out of school. This school will help keep them in class,” he said.
The construction of Limpopo Secondary School comes as government continues to roll out infrastructure development under the National Development Strategy Two (NDS2), in line with efforts to expand educational facilities and achieve an upper middle-income society by 2030
