Cowdray Park needs 30 more schools as population surges

Cowdray Park needs at least 30 additional schools to keep pace with its rapidly growing population, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube has said, warning that Bulawayo’s largest suburb is fast becoming “a city within a city”.

Ncube made the remarks during a visit to Cowdray Park Primary School, where classroom blocks are under construction, as Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing conducted an oversight assessment of service delivery and infrastructure development in the suburb and other housing projects across Bulawayo.

He said the suburb’s rapid expansion had outpaced the provision of essential public services, leaving residents facing shortages of schools, roads, clean water, sewerage and electricity.

“We are here in Cowdray Park and I am sure you appreciate the challenges that the locals are facing. Issues of road infrastructure, clean water, sewage systems, and just the settlement of people the right way,” Ncube said.

“In terms of schools, Cowdray Park needs at least 30 more. It is one of the fastest-growing settlements in the country. It is now bigger than Gwanda and in the next year, it will be just like another Chitungwiza in Bulawayo. It may be even needing its own local board.”

Ncube has championed several development projects, including road rehabilitation, borehole drilling, the establishment of health facilities, public WiFi installation and the construction of additional classroom blocks at Cowdray Park Primary School.

He said the demands created by the suburb’s growth extended well beyond education.

“The demands are many, it’s housing, roads, schools, sewage and electricity among others. The government is currently partnering with the local authority to improve public lighting in the suburb.”

Ncube said the government and Bulawayo City Council would soon begin repairing street lighting to improve security.

“As we speak, in two weeks we have another programme working with the city council to repair up to 50 tower lights to make sure that the place is well lit during the night,” he said.

He welcomed the parliamentary committee’s visit, saying its findings would help shape future interventions.

“We thank the committee for coming here to take a look. When we are back in Parliament, we can all encourage each other on how to support institutions like this one.”