http://www.skillsportal.co.za/
Mon, 30 May 2011
By Sylvia Hammond
The UCT Law Faculty and the States in Transition Observatory of IDASA, played host to David Coltart, Zimbabwean Minister for Education, Sport, Arts, and Culture when he addressed the topic Zimbabwe: prospects for and challenges to the Transition.
An international audience of academics, students and invited guests listened to the difficulties faced by an MDC representative in the Zimbabwe cabinet, and the possibilites open to a changing nation.
Coltart stated that the SADC and the three principles were seeking consensus on a “road map†for fresh elections. He expressed the view that all Zimbabwe’s close neighbours had realised the implications of a failed state on their doorstep, and warned that future refugees would not be the same as those who had arrived during the last decade but would come from the poorest section of the population.
He was very complimentary about President Jacob Zuma whom he described as: “a breath of fresh air†stating that he (Zuma) had done everything right, and that the ANC in general were really trying to do the right thing.
Speaking about his portfolio, he explained how he had managed to move from a collapsed education system, with 80,000 teachers on strike, 7,000 schools closed, and textbooks at a ratio of 1:15 pupils, to the present. An amnesty brought 15,000 teachers back and they reached a textbook ratio of 1:1 in 4 areas for primary schools, and by the end of the year they were aiming for 1:1 in 6 core areas for secondary schools.
Although ZANU PF continues to control electronic media, active print media has been established, which releases two independent newspapers daily. He stated that the Constitution-developing process was about half way along its path. Other positive transformations included the opening of health clinics which have enabled the control of cholera.
Mining has grown and the tobacco industry has started to recover, indications that MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti had managed to stabilise the economy.
The discovery of diamonds however, although it had contributed significantly to state coffers was a mixed blessing as contracts were not drawn up well enough to effectively compensate the state, and the enormous riches were open to exploitation and personal enrichment.
Despite these positives, Coltart identified three major areas of concern: firstly, there were hardliners within the Cabinet, who stand to lose if there is meaningful change, as they will be brought to account for past violence – it is agreed that any investigation of violence should go back to 1965.
Secondly, he noted Western indifference and a lack of finesse in their dealings with Zimbabwe, highlighting the way South Africa had benefitted during its transition, from the financial and moral support of the UK and USA, but both these countries remain sceptical of the Zimbabwean process.
What he has achieved in education through the provision of textbooks had been funded by Germany who provided $18m compared to the US $1m and the UK 1 million pound contributions. He claimed that sanctions were beyond their sell-by date, and he regretted that the UK had not agreed to allow a cricket tour to continue – recalling the South African test team who toured the West Indies in 1991.
Thirdly, SADC weakness was evident, and despite the good works of the South African government, there were other countries that were not representative democracies.
While in South Africa, Coltart will meet with education officials to discuss curriculum revision, and has already received considerable support from teachers and principals. Although the history curriculum is contentious, there is agreement on civic education to reconcile the nation.
When questioned on how he ensured that the German funding was not diverted into private hands, he explained that he set up an Education Transformation Fund, which he chairs, but is managed by UNICEF. It was agreed that the bulk of the funding was to go to textbooks.
A tender process was used through which Zimbabwean and South African publishers benefitted as well as a Zimbabwean distribution company.
Finally, given the amount of work that has to be done on the new Constitution, and a referendum to decide the form of representation (proportion representation or a Westminster system) he does not foresee that an election will take place before 2012, the longer the delay before the election, the greater the benefit for the MDC.