Outcry Over RBZ’s Vehicle Offer

The Standard By NDAMU SANDU 5 April 2009 MDC-T MPs will soon convene a caucus to consider an offer of cars from the central bank, amid warnings from political parties that such a move would compromise the independence of Parliament. On Thursday Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono played “Father Christmas” by offering

Concern over Staffing Levels in Schools

The Standard By EDGAR GWESHE 5 April 2009 STAFFING levels in the country’s education sector remain low despite a government directive that teachers who had left the profession should be reinstated to curtail staff shortages, The Standard has learnt. The government in February issued a directive that teachers who had left the profession between January

Public rage over perks for new Zimbabwe ministers

The Guardian By Maurice Gerard in Harare Saturday 4 April 2009 Zimbabwe’s new unity government has sparked public outcry by accepting a succession of perks including a “retreat” to a luxury resort at Victoria Falls this weekend and a fleet of $50,000 Mercedes vehicles for ministers while the vast majority struggles to afford basic commodities.

No cash for ‘O’ and ‘A’ exams

The Zimbabwean 4 April 2009 HARARE – Zimbabwe’s cash-strapped government said last week that it hadrun out of funds to complete marking of public school examinationswritten last year and whose results should have been out several weeksago. Education Minister David Coltart told a meeting of the education sectorin Harare that results that should have been

Honesty is the best policy

The Zimbabwean 3 April 2009 Schools will be closing this week after slightly more than one month of uninterrupted learning for our children. Notwithstanding a shortage of drugs, hospitals and clinics are open as nurses and doctors try to provide a service to the sick. Other government departments, slowly, have started to function again as

June 2009 exams could be dropped

Zimbabwe Times By Raymond Maingire 3 April 2009 HARARE – The government is under pressure to do away with this year’s June examinations following its continued failure to complete the marking of last year’s June and November public examinations due to a crippling strike by teachers over salaries. Education, Arts, Sport and Culture minister, David

Zimbabwe’s MDC ministers accept official Mercedes cars

The Times By Jan Raath 3 April 2009 All but one of Zimbabwe’s ministers from the former opposition has accepted an official Mercedes Benz. When they were in opposition MDC politicians condemned the profligacy of Mr Mugabe’s Mercedes Benz-mobilised Zanu(PF) party. Last September, when the agreement to form a power-sharing Government was signed, senior MDC

Ministers get Mercs whilst Nation starves

ZimEye.org April 2, 2009 Harare (ZimEye) – The cash-strapped government has given 39 ministers poshy cars – Mercedes Benz at a time the country is facing a deepening economic crisis. The Ministers received the cars last month and are enjoying the luxuries associated with driving the Mercedes Benz at the expense of ordinary Zimbabweans who

Ministry needs US$90m for textbooks

31 March 2009 Sunday News AFTER making sure that the schools stay open and last year’s public examinations results are released, the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture will turn to the restocking of schools with textbooks, the minister, Senator David Coltart, has said. Speaking at a function to award prizes to pupils who

The day the rainbow fell on the floor

Pambazuka News By Prespone Matawira (2009-03-26) http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/zimnotes/55141 Prespone Matawira talks about the challenges facing David Coltart, Zimbabwe’s new minister of education, sports, arts and culture, as he devises a strategy to re-build the education system in an economy where many parents can no longer afford to pay the fees required to cover the cost of