The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
VICE President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has commended the Roman Catholic Church for its contribution in improving the education sector by maintaining high standards at its schools countrywide.
Speaking at the Catholic-run Monte Cassino Girls High School 60th anniversary in Macheke yesterday, VP Chiwenga said Government has committed to build an A-Level classroom block and a bridge linking the school with surrounding communities to complement work done by the church in running the school.
“I am proud to be associated with the school through my contribution towards construction of the A’ level block. The church has done well to build schools around the country and we need, as Government to complement these efforts.”
He said President Mnangagwa had, on his visit to the school, instructed the District Development Fund (DDF) to construct the bridge and road.
VP Chiwenga said the project to surface the road leading to the school will be completed soon.
“Priming of the seven-kilometre stretch up to the school is in progress and once the weather conditions improve for surfacing, it would take at least three weeks to complete the work. Thereafter, the President will officiate at the commissioning of the two projects in appreciation of the sterling work by the school. My office remains open to you to provide assistance whenever called upon to do so,” said the VP.
The church and Zimbabwe’s nationhood have a relationship that dates back to the liberation struggle. VP Chiwenga said during the war for freedom, he was summoned from the battlefront by former President Robert Mugabe, and they headed to the Catholic church’s headquarters at the Vatican in Italy where they requested the Pope to pray for them.
The prayer request was to win the war and subsequently, after the victory, the Pope visited Zimbabwe soon after Independence.
Monte Cassino’s silver jubilee coincided with VP Chiwenga’s 66th birthday. To celebrate this, VP Chiwenga spent time with pupils who sang for him while he also counselled them to be disciplined and to pray.
VP Chiwenga also attended the school’s mass.
