Chinese Government provides grant worth P125 million for Kazungula Primary School Construction Project

Project narrative

In mid-2016, Botswana’s Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and China’s Ministry of Commerce of China prepared and reviewed a draft grant agreement and exchange of notes for the Kazungula Primary School Construction Project. Then, on August 24, 2018, both parties signed and exchange of notes for the project. A grant agreement was signed in December 2016. The Chinese Government committed RMB 80 million for the project. The project would involve the construction of a primary school in the village of Kazungula — 8 km east of the town of Kasane — in Botswana’s North-West District. The school would include teaching blocks, an administrative building, a dining hall, living quarters for principal and teachers, a gatehouse, equipment, and auxiliary facilities. The Government of Botswana agreed to assist in the implementation of the project by obtaining work permits for Chinese workers and aiding in the implementation of infrastructure networks throughout the school. On March 27, 2019, a project implementation agreement was signed and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 15, 2019. The finished elementary school was anticipated to accommodate 560 students. As of August 2, 2022, the school was still under construction.