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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
Masvingo City Council has surrendered the construction of the long-awaited Rujeko Secondary School to interested contractors.

Sometime in 2009, the local authority’s full council meeting resolved that there be a council secondary school in Rujeko suburb, citing the growing population within the location which has two primary schools, namely Rujeko and Shakashe.

The city officials said another secondary school was going to ease pressure from the overpopulated Ndaramba High in Target Kopje, Mucheke High, Christian College in Mucheke suburb and Victoria High School in Rhodene.

Ward 8 Councillor Babylon Beta, who is also finance and general purpose committee chairman, said the need for a new secondary school was high, but council realised it was going to be too expensive to construct the school, hence opening the project to outside bidders.

“We had plans to construct a secondary school in Rujeko as council, but we were found wanting as the money needed to do the project is beyond our reach,” he  said.

Clr Beta said the project was now open for bidding and a tender would be advertised in the local press soon, inviting those with financial muscle to do the project.

“We prefer church organisations to bid for the tenders, as we fear that if the project is undertaken by private companies, the school will have the potential to charge exorbitant fees,” he said.

“The main aim is to provide affordable education to residents’ children and not for the school to be a business venture.”

Clr Beta said the land had long been identified for the school project and when the project gets a bidder, the contractor would be expected finish within three years.