Maputo, 1 Jul (AIM) – The World Bank has disbursed 160 million meticais (2.5 million dollars at the current exchange rate) for the construction of a school from scratch at the same place where Unidade 24 Primary School, in Ka-Maxaquene municipal district, Maputo city, was demolished last year due to its high level of degradation.
According to the spokesperson of Maputo City’s Education Directorate, Samuel Menezes, cited by the independent paper “O País”, “It’s likely that we’ll start this year, but we won’t be able to finish because it’s a high-rise building and also because of the approaching rainy season, which is preventing the development we’d like.”
The new school will have three floors, including 20 classrooms, compared to the previous ten. There will also be new toilets and an administrative block
Menezes explained that the project has already been submitted to the directorate of school infrastructure and equipment, “and we’re waiting for the tender to be launched.”
Local residents say that since the former school was demolished last year, the abandoned site has become a meeting place for criminals and some people have been transforming it into a rubbish dump.
“Sometimes people throw in dead cats, rats and household rubbish. It’s sad to see such a scene right in the center of town. The area has also served as a hiding place for criminals, especially at night and in the early hours of the day”, one resident, cited by the paper said.
(AIM)
Ad/pf (253)
