Amandlethu
Secondary School at St Paul’s Mission, Lupane is set to be handed back to the
Roman Catholic Church after government revealed that they are unable to run the
school.
Speaking
at a Public Accountability meeting convened by the National Youth Development
Trust (NYDT), the Ward 19 Councilor, Zett Ncube, told the youths that the
government was failing to run the school which was previously owned by the
Roman Catholic Church, and would be handing it back to the church.
“Amandlethu
Secondary School used to be owned by the Roman Catholic Church but was taken
over by government,” said Ncube. “Ever since government took over, the school
has been facing challenges and there is little development taking place. The
government is going to hand back the school to the church as it is struggling
to run it,” he said.
Prior
to 1980 the provision of education for the majority of black people was largely
in the hands of church organizations. Church organizations made and continue to
make immense contributions to the establishment, growth and development of education
in Zimbabwe. They pioneered the provision of education for the African people.
The different church organizations such as the Roman Catholic Church, Brethren
in Christ and Presbyterian amongst others established schools at their respective
mission stations and in their areas of influence. In these schools the learners
received tuition in basic education, teacher education and industrial skills training.
The shortage of schools in rural areas was a challenge for government who then
did not have the resources to build. It heavily relied on donors, some of whom
were church organizations thereby facilitating the transfer of schools such as
Amandlethu Secondary School from the church to government.
The
move by government has been welcomed by the youths and the community at large
who believe the school under the church’s wings will develop, thereby improving
the quality of education of young people in the ward.
“We
are pleased with the decision by government to transfer the school back to the
Roman Catholic Church,” said Lydia Moyo a member of NYDT. “The government has
failed to develop and maintain the school since it took over. Now we are hoping
that in the hands of the Church, the school will grow and the students’
capacities will also improve,” she said.
Most
church schools are holding the fort in rural areas with some of them making the
top 100 schools in Zimbabwe in 2014. This has given hope to the youths in St
Paul’s mission who believe that with the help of the church Amandlethu
secondary school will someday be in the top 100 and will have the best possible
infrastructure.
