Johane Marange Church builds new schools
MINISTER of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza has urged churches to partner with Government in constructing schools to help address the shortage of educational institutions in the country.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church’s St Noah Six Primary and Secondary schools in Rusape last weekend, Minister Mugadza said churches have a vital role to play in promoting education and development in the province, and Government is ready to support them in their efforts.
He said: “We are grateful to the Johane Marange Apostolic Church for initiating this project which will benefit, not only the children of this community, but also the future of our nation. Education is the key to unlocking the potential of our people, and we need more partners like this one to join hands with us in this noble cause.
“Government is committed to providing an enabling environment for churches and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of our education sector. We appreciate the role that churches play in instilling moral values and discipline in our learners, as well as providing quality education and infrastructure. We urge other churches to emulate this example and partner with us in building a better Zimbabwe for all,” said Minister Mugadza.
He also highlighted that Government’s Vision 2030 of an upper middle income economy by 2030, and President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind will undoubtedly come to fruition by the establishment of state of the art education facilities by Government, churches and the private sector.
The church’s spokesperson and Member of National Assembly for Mutare West, Honourable Nyasha Marange, said the church wants to build a school in every district where it has congregants.
He said the church has already established more than 30 schools nationwide and is supporting Government’s agenda of ensuring access to education for all.
“We are aligning with President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind. We will educate the nation as we also contribute to Government’s efforts of infrastructural development.
“We believe that education is a fundamental human right and a key driver of social and economic development. Our schools are open to all children regardless of their religious affiliation, ethnicity, gender or disability. We aim to provide quality education that is holistic, inclusive and transformative. We also partner with other stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, local authorities, parents and communities to ensure that our schools are well-resourced, well-managed and well-governed,” he said.
Honourable Marange also stated that the schools will provide quality education that is aligned with the national curriculum and Vision 2030.
He said the schools will equip learners with skills and knowledge that will enable them to contribute to the development of the country and region, adding that the schools will also promote values such as integrity, respect, responsibility and excellence among learners and staff.
“The primary school will have a capacity for 1 000 learners, while the high school will have about 700 learners. We want to leave no one and no place behind as we strive to achieve our goals of transforming our society and economy through education,” he said.
Honourable Marange said the schools will start off as day schools and eventually offer low-cost boarding facilities as they believe that education should be accessible to everyone, poor or rich.