Barrick-donated special school set to start operation

A special girls secondary school in Msalala Council, Kahama District, in Shinyanga Region is set to start operation in the coming academic year January next year, it has been said.

The construction project for the school kicked off in 2021 is sponsored by Barrick Bulyanhulu Gold Mine at a tune of 800m/-, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSRs) programmes in Kahama.

So far, 12 classrooms, a dormitory with capacity to accommodate 80 students as well as physics, biology and chemistry laboratories have been already put in place.

“We have also purchased 320 furniture, mostly tables and chairs, as well as building an administration block,” said the Mine Deputy Public Relations Officer, Ms Zuwena Senkondo, during the inspection of the project, recently.

She further explained that the school is for Ordinary Level students, with the Gold Mine set to embark on school fence construction, worth 30m/-, before the school  gets in use.

Installation of water and electricity infrastructures is also under pipeline, with all construction activities involving local technicians, said Ms Senkondo.

“The project therefore creates jobs for youths in Bulyanhulu Ward,” she said.

The Teacher, Mr James Mukasa from the nearby Bulyanhulu Secondary School, who supervises the project, commented that preventing gender-based violence to girls is among the anticipated advantages of the new school.

It will also shorten daily trips, since some children do walk about 15 kilometres, in search of secondary education services outside their Ward.