Chinese Govt to upgrade St Michael’s in Chipinge

THE Chinese Government has pledged to help upgrade St Michael’s Secondary School housed at Tongogara Refugee Camp to Advanced Level status. The school which has an enrolment of 705 is also plagued by a myriad of challenges that include inadequate classroom blocks dilapidated teachers’ and ancillary staff houses.

Speaking after the tour of the school last week, Chinese Embassy economic and commercial councillor Mr Chen Ning, urged the camp administrator, Mr Johanne Mhlanga, to make a proposal with the assistance of development partners to the Chinese Government on challenges bedevilling the school.

The school feeds from Tongogara Primary School which has an enrolment of 1 900.

The camp is home to more than 13 000 people from 15 nationalities.

“20 years ago, we were a developing country and we received support from the international community. Times have changed and this is the time for us to assist others.

“We are keen to assist with the upgrading of the school. We have helped build schools around Zimbabwe and there is no reason why we should assist on this one. We are the second biggest economy in the world. Chinese are becoming richer and richer and we will never forget Africa,” said Mr Ning, who was accompanied by World Food Programme deputy country director, Mr Niels Balzer among other delegates.

The school head, Mr Wilfred Ziracha said: “Currently, we have over 700 students and our blocks aren’t enough to house the student population. It is our wish to have our school upgraded to Advanced Level status as well as have more classroom blocks, science labs and rehabilitate teachers’ houses. It is the ministry’s policy that before the granting of A-Level status, laboratories should be there.”

Mr Mhlanga said: “We have a number of brilliant students who learnt here and we had to send them to neighbouring boarding schools with Advanced Level education.”

The camp is home to more than 13 000 people from 15 nationalities.