Mthombowesizwe Primary School in Entumbane, Bulawayo, has received new furniture for its Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes following the purchase of 125 chairs and 125 tables at a cost of ZiG 440 000, to improve learning conditions for young pupils.
The furniture, funded through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), was handed over on Wednesday at a ceremony attended by community leaders and education officials.
Entumbane Member of Parliament Prince Dube said the donation formed part of wider efforts to invest in children and strengthen education standards in the constituency.
“This school has an enrolment of about 1200 children. Children are the future. When we invest in the education of our children, we are investing in the future,” he said.
Dube added that improving school infrastructure and learning materials helped motivate pupils to attend school and learn effectively.
“If a child comes to school and finds there is no learning material, then there is a challenge,” he said.
Ward 10 councillor Khalazani Ndlovu, who represented Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart, said the donation would reduce pressure on the local authority while improving standards in public schools.
“This donation will create a conducive learning environment for our learners,” she said. “The funds that would have been used to buy furniture can now be directed towards other needs to improve the quality of education in our schools.”
Cllr Ndlovu urged parents and guardians to pay school fees, warning that unpaid fees were affecting the running of schools across the city.
“The city is concerned that our schools are owed millions of dollars. When fees are not paid, schools are unable to function properly,” she said.
Bulawayo City Council housing department official Mehluleli Mpofu said unpaid school fees and delayed government support had slowed development in many schools.
He said the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), a government programme that supports vulnerable learners, was in arrears, with some schools still owed money dating back to 2022.
“Through donations like this, we are able to cover some of the basic needs,” Mpofu said, adding that schools were also aiming to invest in digital learning infrastructure such as Wi-Fi and laptops.
“It is important that our learners are equipped to compete globally,” he said.
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