Government has awarded a contract to a Chinese firm, Daltong Construction Company, to construct a full fledged Basic School in Kanyama constituency at a cost of K5 billion.
Education Minister Geoffrey Lungwagwa said his ministry through its infrastructure development section has decided to construct the Basic school in effort to decongest New Kanyama Basic School which has a pupil population of 2700.
The Minister said government would not compromise on the quality of education being provided to pupils.
He said it was unacceptable that 200 pupils are currently having classes in one classroom.
Professor Lungwangwa was speaking in Kanyama compound yesterday when he addressed residents who are said to be against the project in preference of using the land as a football ground by the community.
Professor Lungwangwa accompanied by Lusaka province minister, Lameck Mangani, home affairs Deputy Minister Misheck Mboshe and Education PS Lillian Kapulu , were in the area to verify recent media reports that said the community was against the project.
Once completed the Basic school will comprise a Teachers compound, with 4 semi-detached houses, a home economics block, science laboratory and football pitch to used by the two schools and the community.
Earlier , Education Permanent Secretary Lillian Kapulu said the land in question belongs to the ministry hence could not understand as to why people would resist construction of the basic school.
And opposition area Member of Parliament (MP) Garry Chanda has refuted recent media reports suggesting that he was opposed to the project.
Mr. Chanda who is Patriotic Front (PF) MP said he would not object the gesture of good will from the government which is meant on taking development to the people.
Colonel Chanda said as a progressive parliamentarian, that he would not frustrate the project adding that he even campaigned on the premise of lobbying government to put up social amenities such as schools and clinics.
And a Resident, Emmanuel Manda told the minister that the community was not per se against the project, but the fencing off of the football ground by the school authorities.
Mr. Manda said the community wanted to be assured of accessibility to the pitch as it is the only form of recreation in the area.
ZANIS/JT\MK/ENDS
Gov´t should put up as enuff schools as the copper price has been going up recently.Schools would be one way tha every single Zedian could atleast enjoy the benefits of the natural resourses that are getting out of Zed every min.
The entire Kanyama needs redevelopment. The environment there is too bad for human habitation.
My Zambia, my zambia, trying to delay a school building project for a soccer pitch …. am I dreaming?
Please put it into reality not just verbal talking. Because most of these issues end up to be stories which we/people are fed up of mostly our own members of parliament. Why do you like CHEATING??? we want to see the dev. to be done soonest cause you have known the truth about the school. A primary school to be like an animal farm. Why and where is the GRZ? shamefull!!!!!…. Kanyama people don’t vote for people who are fake dollar talkers but put people to dev. our Kanyama as a Whole.
It would be normal to hear that GRZ is constructing 50 basic schools in the country than a petty one school in Kanyama. This is an obvious thing. Please learn from other countries howthey do things????
How many children will the new school serve? How many teachers will be employed? Will the children have to purchase their own uniforms to attend? How will school supplies be funded? The children of Kanyama are so eager to learn and have so much potential. They all deserve the best education possible to help them meet the requirements needed to secure employment. I hope this opportunity is just the first of many schools eatablished to give children and their families a better future.