SW Radio Africa

By Violet Gonda

16 April 2013

Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister David Coltart has condemned the bombing of a sports event in the United States of America and offered profound condolences to the people of Boston, following the twin bombing Monday at the Boston Marathon.

The bombing left three people dead and at least 140 injured, including children.An eight year-old boy who was at the event to watch his father race is among those killed in the explosions.

“We condemn unreservedly those responsible for this dastardly act. Every bombing is horrific but the bombing of a sporting event is particularly callous. People participate in and watch sporting events to go beyond and above politics and all the other issues which cause so much division of the world; and so the targeting of a sporting event in this manner is particularly grotesque,” Coltart said in a statement.

The explosions detonated in quick succession near the Boston Marathon finish line transforming “a scene of athletic celebration into bloody chaos,” the Boston Globe reported.

The blast took place after the elite marathoners had completed the race but scores of others were still running.

23-year-old Ethiopia native Lelisa Desisa Benti was the men’s winner of the 117th Boston Marathon, with 32-year-old Kenyan Rita Jeptoo winning the women’s division.

No suspects have yet been arrested although US President Barack Obama, who stopped short of calling the incident a terrorist attack, vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But, make no mistake; we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this, we will find out why they did this,” said Obama. “Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”

Ironically the race had started with a minute of silence for the 26 Sandy Hook massacre victims who were gunned down last year at an elementary school by a teenager in Newtown, Connecticut. Some of the victims’ families had also taken part in the marathon.

The Herald

By Panganai Kahuni

15 April 2013

In Africa, the need for sovereign statehood became the point of African entry into international politics through Pan-Africanism and nationalism.

Pan-Africanism and nationalism symbolised the character of what an African leader must be; non compromising and principled for the restoration of African values, culture and ethos such as did Nkrumah, Lumumba, Chitepo, J Z Moyo and Dr Nkomo to mention just but a few.

Zimbabwean freedom fighters, through the leadership of the principled revolutionary icons such as President Mugabe and Dr Nkomo effectively employed the principle of self-determination in fighting the war of liberation that led to our independence in 1980. Taking the revolution tempo of Second Chimurenga a further gear higher from where Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Kings Mzilikazi, Lobengula and others had left, the two Zimbabwe revolutionary icons led the war of demolishing the Smith Regime with immeasurable dedication and commitment.

During the Second Chimurenga, the war which brought Zimbabwe’s independence, democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, opposition politics and the electoral process that was non-racial, the youths from both rural and urban areas participated in an immeasurable and patriot manner. The courage to withstand hardships and risking one’s life was extremely overwhelming.

Droves of people bravely crossed rivers and walked through densely populated forests that were heavily infested with human predators such as crocodiles and lions. The commitment and devotion made the fighters to gather strengths as the pour of adrenaline constricted their muscles, courageously making them fearless freedom fighters.

The youths of Second Chimurenga, were a rare breed of courageous human beings. Knowing that the notorious Smith army would devour them worse than the bush lions and the river crocodiles, the youths of the Second Chimurenga tenaciously walked through thick and thin, crossing over to Mozambique and Zambia.

Once they arrived in the two countries they received cutting torches (the guns) that they used to break the chains of barbaric slavery and undemocratic, unruly and inhuman treatment exerted on them by the demonic wanton savages of the Smith Regime. Some of the savages that cared less for democracy, rule of law and democratic governance surprisingly joined the MDC formations as paragons of democracy and the rule of law.

What democracy and rule of law can those unrepentant and yester-year uncivil Rhodesian security services men such as Eric Matinenga, David Coltart, Roy Bennet, Giles Mutsekwa, Ian Kay and Eddie Cross teach Zimbabweans today? People must understand that most of those who operated as Selous Scouts; Rhodesian African Rifles (mapuruveya) BSAP joined the violent MDC formations on retirement.

Fellow citizens did you know that Emmanuel Chimwanda who is said to be doing scandalous ventures in ZACC is an MDC-T former BSAP appointee to ZACC? It seems it is the reason he wilfully leaks official secrets to his MDC-T party.

The liberators of this country are asking some million dollar questions: How can former Rhodesian troops call for reforming of the security sector? Whose agenda are they advancing? Why is the MDC-T flooded with these people who committed genocide at Chimoio in Mozambique and Chifombo in Zambia?

Former Rhodesia African Rifles and former BSAP hands drip blood of Zimbabweans they killed during the Second Chimurenga, a war that brought our Independence. When the Whiteman colonised Zimbabwe, they made it clear that all white generations of all age groups were to subjugate Africans.

One wonders why some political parties had the temerity of accommodating such unrepentant murderers in their structures. It is important as it is instructive that our independence is hardly a century and yet some youths have the audacity of camping in political institutions that dine with dangerous elements of the Rhodesia era.

The 33rd Independence Day anniversary is very important to the youths who must jealously guard our sovereign state. What is critical for the youths is to understand the fact that imperialism is adaptable to global political changes. From the days of slavery, the imperial world developed various political doctrines aimed at resource plundering and regime change.

The youths now know it well through the anarchy and mayhem caused by NGOs and civil societies. In Zimbabwe, various neo-colonial doctrines have been employed by the West in order to effect regime change. From 2009, the West, particularly Britain and America, channelled money through various NGOs under the guise of development. They illegally channelled $2,6 billion through MDC-T run ministries and NGOs.

The questions that arise are: if the money was meant for development why was it Nichodemously channelled through institutions whose transparency and accountability raises eyebrows? Can the so-called friends of Zimbabwe account for this huge amount of money which many Zimbabweans believed was meant for wanton regime change.

http://vimeo.com/63667852

The Herald

13 April 2013

Scores of pupils who sat for Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations last year are yet to receive their results amid allegations of negligence being levelled against some schools.

A-Level results were released at the beginning of the year while O-Level results were released in February 2013 but it has since emerged that some pupils are yet to get their results.

Some candidates are reported to have got result slips that had grades for subjects that they did not sit for.

Government, through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, is now set to launch investigations into the matter after the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council distanced itself from the mix up.

Education Minister Senator David Coltart urged the affected candidates to take their cases to the nearest education offices for assistance.

“This is a matter of urgency. They should utilise those relevant offices in their districts and give the details of their specific problem so that we can investigate and address these matters,” he said.

Zimsec has since distanced it from the exam mix-up with the examination’s body’s director, Mr Essau Nhandara, accusing some school headmasters of negligence. Mr Nhandara said school authorities are afforded enough time to address discrepancies they would have noted when students register to write exams.

“Students register for specific subjects by using a colour code. This happens around March every year. Students then receive an examination entry form sometime in July. It is at this stage that any discrepancies between students’ registrations and what is listed on the entry form can be corrected,” he said.

Meanwhile, the majority of the students who are yet to secure their results are now in limbo as they cannot proceed with their education.

The Zimbabwean

By Edgar Gweshe

9 April 2013

Teachers being hauled before Disciplinary Committees are being denied their right to legal representation, claims the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.

The union’s Information, Education and Research Officer Fannuel Mabhugu said teachers were being victimised as a result. “According to the Public Service Regulations of 2000, it is clear that someone who has been summoned for a disciplinary hearing is free to consult a legal representative.

“One is free to go with a legal representative or trade union official to help you, but the teachers are being denied this right. Sometimes when the legal representative is allowed into the hearing, they are told that only the teacher is allowed to answer to questions from the disciplinary committee,” said Mabhugu.

Most of the personnel on the committees are political appointees with little knowledge regarding the conduct of the disciplinary hearings, he added. In a statement, the PTUZ said: “In a recent case, Wilbert Muringani, a graduate of the PTUZ Paralegal Training Project was barred access into an office where a PTUZ member Sister Catherine Munekani was appearing to answer misconduct charges before a Disciplinary Committee in Gweru, Midlands Province.

“This was despite the fact that the letter notifying her of the convening of the disciplinary hearing advised her of her right to be represented by a registered legal practitioner or a Union official. The hearing was chaired by the Provincial Education Director, Mrs. Agnes Gudo.”

The PTUZ cited another case in which the right of teachers to legal representation was violated.

“Enock Paradzayi, another PTUZ paralegal was told by Danny Moyo, the Provincial Education Director for Bulawayo Province and Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee hearing the misconduct charges preferred against PTUZ
member Kudzai Makumbe and that he could only be present but was not supposed to say anything during the hearing,” reads the statement.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Art and Culture, David Coltart was not available for comment at the time of going to press.

Minister of Education David Coltart said: “I strongly believe in the right of all people to have legal representation and also for the rule of law to apply to all. I will investigate these allegations and will do all in my power to ensure that Teachers’ rights are respected.”

The Sunday Mail

7 April 2013

Scores of pupils who sat for Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations last year are yet to receive their results amid allegations of negligence being levelled against some schools.
‘A’ Level results were released at the beginning of the year while ‘O’ Level results were released in February 2013 but it has since emerged that some pupils are yet to get their results.

Some candidates are reported to have got result slips that had grades for subjects that they did not take an exam for.
Government, through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, is now set to launch investigations into the matter after the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) distanced itself from the mix up. Education Minister Senator David Coltart urged the affected candidates to take their cases to the nearest education offices for assistance.

“As the Education ministry we encourage all those students who are affected to contact their local district education officer, failing that the local provincial education director, failing that the permanent secretary and failing that my office is open to these children and their parents for immediate assistance.

“This is a matter of urgency. They should choose — they should utilise those relevant offices in their districts and give the details of their specific problem so that we can investigate and address these matters,” he said.

Zimsec has since distanced it from the exam mix-up with the examination’s body’s director Mr Essau Nhandara accusing some school headmasters of negligence.
Mr Nhandara said school authorities are afforded enough time to address discrepancies they would have noted when students register to write exams.

“Students register for specific subjects by using a colour code. This happens around March every year. Students then receive an examination entry form sometime in July.
“It is at this stage that any discrepancies between students’ registrations and what is listed on the entry form can be corrected,” he said.

However, Senator Coltart refused to point the finger of blame at anyone.
“Without knowing the details of individual cases it is impossible to ascertain who is to blame for the non-receipt of results,” he said.
Meanwhile, the majority of the students who are yet to secure their results are now in limbo as they cannot proceed with their education.

Sunday News

6 April 2013

The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has said it will allow schools to continue enrolling A- Level students with less than five O-Level passes on the premise that institutions ensure the students resit for O-level examinations and pass.

It was recently reported that a number of high schools and private colleges were accepting pupils for Lower Sixth classes without the minimum five Ordinary levels, a development which was viewed as compromising the quality of education in the country.

Despite the 2012 shocking poor pass rate which sparked debate among members of the public, many pupils secured places for A- Levels at different schools and colleges.

According to the education ministry’s regulations, for one to proceed to A-level, a pass in five O-level subjects is a must.

In an interview with Sunday News, Bulawayo Provincial Education Director, Mr Dan Moyo, said five O-levels were a basic minimum requirement with English a standing pre-requisite adding that Mathematics would be included to the list very soon.

Mr Moyo confirmed the education ministry had instruments which stated these requirements but failed to mention the regulations offhand.

He said although it was unacceptable for schools to accept pupils who had failed, institutions were doing it anyway, acknowledging some are doing it for a quick buck.

“Schools take these students with the hope they will pass when they sit for the June O-level examinations. It always happens. For example, some children may have five O-levels but with no English or Mathematics yet they would have passed other subjects like History, Chemistry and Physics. These pupils may proceed to A-Level and do a combination of sciences but will write the O-levels to supplement what they failed. The logic is they supplement as they go on. But basically it’s inadmissible for schools to take children without the 5 subjects,” he said.

Mr Moyo said those children submitted in Lower Sixth classes failed to raise the required O-levels again, it was up to parents to prosecute the institutions, as they would have paid school fees to the schools.

He said schools had been enlightened on this possibility and parents could take up action against the institutions as there is no way one can write A-levels without having five O-levels.

“It means parents will continue paying money until the child passes. The ministry could always check on the schools to make sure the pupils who failed resat examinations but parents have to take the issue up. Schools know about this, I can’t continue repeating it,” he said.

Education Minister, Senator David Coltart said it was common practice for schools to register Lower Sixth pupil who failed their O-levels. He said usually private schools took in the children but the catch was they had to make sure they passed their O-levels before sitting for A- level examinations.

“This happens because institutions know the children will get a second chance during the June examinations. The ministry can’t really put a stop to it because children and parents will always look for alternative private colleges,” he said.

Senator Coltart said he was aware parents risked paying extra fees because no child could write A- levels without the stipulated five O-levels.

“A child can go up to From Six but the law is, one writes their A’s after passing their O’s. What schools and colleges are doing is illegal yes, but then schools and parents get into these arrangements and contracts,” he said.

Sunday News

6 April 2013

THE Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) has remained among top examination boards of repute in the continent and the world despite local accusations of maladministration and a coterie of other challenges it is facing.

Responding to questions by the Sunday News, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart said Zimsec’s marking system was top of the drawer and the envy of many examination boards in the region and held its own among the best in the world, a feat that had not been achieved by regional counterparts.

He said Zimsec had graduated from the Conveyer Belt Marking System to E – marking, which is the most up to date marking system in the world today.

Minister Coltart said although Zimsec had received a barrage of criticism locally for leakages, burglary and theft of question papers as well as failure to release certificates in time due to financial constraints, to characterise the occurrences as rampant was an exaggeration.

“Zimsec’s marking system and general administration of examinations is very credible. In fact it has improved over the years to become the envy of many examination boards in the region and hold its own among the best worldwide.

“Zimsec has graduated from the Conveyor Belt Marking System to E – marking, the most up to date marking system in the world today.  ZIMSEC has hosted regional examination boards like Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the Examination council of Zambia (ECZ) the national Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA), the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) and the Examinations Council of Swaziland (ECOS) all seeking to know how ZIMSEC has achieved this feat,” he said.

Minister Coltart added that a leak or an examination malpractice was not acceptable and punitive measures were always taken on those who leak examination papers with Zimsec always making sure that the leaked papers were replaced by new ones to eliminate the possibility of any candidate getting an unfair advantage over others.

He said in many such cases the examinations were taken on the original scheduled dates and thus keeping schedules intact.

“A leakage or an examination malpractice of any sort is not acceptable for any examination session.  However, to characterize the occurrence of leakages in our examination system as ‘rampant’ is an exaggeration.  It may also be helpful to distinguish between ‘a leak’ – where someone deliberately and corruptly allows a candidate to gain foreknowledge of the question paper and criminal activities like burglary and theft or recklessly failing to secure question papers in your custody.

“The burglary and theft of question papers in 2010 at Chongogwe High School and the loss of a question paper carton containing 13 different papers by the Headmaster of Sijaugwe Secondary School in October 2012 are among the few cases we have encountered.  In both cases, all the papers that could not be accounted for were replaced by new ones and the possibility of any candidate getting unfair advantage was, therefore, eliminated.  The examinations were taken on the originally scheduled dates, thus keeping schedules intact.  While all this was disconcerting, the rigour and high quality of assessment was not unduly affected,” he said.

As regards the prompt production of certificates he said it was hampered by the lack of foreign currency in years prior to the use of the United States dollar adding that clearing that backlog was made difficult by inadequate funding levels.

He urged the nation to invest its confidence in Zimsec as it was very credible and recognised all over the world for its sterling marking system and high quality handling of examinations.

Daily News

By Sharon Muguwu

31 March 2013

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s public figures are increasingly utilising information technology gismos to promote their profiles in the seamless global village that the world has become thanks to technology. The Internet provides cheaper platforms for celebrities and other public figures to publicise their activities to their followers. These personalities employ social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter in addition to blogs and websites.

Arguably the most technologically-connected Zimbabwean public official is Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister Senator David Coltart. The Bulawayo senator has a Twitter and Facebook account. He also has his personal website on which people can get information on activities in his ministry. Through Twitter and Facebook people get a chance to interact with Coltart on issues to do with education and sport. The Education minister actively responds to tweets, comments and readily provides people with the information they need.

Another prolific user of information technology platforms is Youth and Indigenisation minister Savior Kasukuwere. Many Twitter users follow the controversial minister who is battling to recover from the Zimplats indigenisation scandal. Kasukuwere sometimes spends days without tweeting or posting anything on Facebook.

On the entertainment scene, comedian Carl Joshua Ncube is one celebrity who has mastered the intricacies of information technology. Ncube has a website, a Twitter, Facebook and a Youtube account. The stand-up comedian actively uses information technology platforms to connect with fans and market himself. Ncube is always tweeting, posting on Facebook and this has really helped in raising his profile. Ncube says the Internet is the best thing to happen to the showbiz industry which he uses to connect with the world and secure shows.

South African-based musician Nox (Enock Guni) is another celebrity who is exploiting the power of social networks to connect with his fans. Nox sometimes avails his music for free to his fans and followers, makes surveys on his music and generally interacts with fans who help him improve on certain aspects of his career. Nox is active on Tweeter, Facebook and Youtube.

Rapper Tehn Diamond is another musician who has embraced the social network platforms to good effect. He uses his website, Tweeter, Facebook and Youtube channel. He did a vigorous marketing campaign of his song Happy which saw it receiving about 7 000 views in its first week on YouTube. He is active on Facebook and Tweeter and like Nox at times allows fans to download his music for free.

Star Gist presenter and former Big Brother contestant Vimbai Mutinhiri is also another techno-celebrity Mutinhiri has both Facebook and Twitter accounts but is more active on Twitter. She is constantly in touch with her fans and friends via the social networks.

Sunday News

By Sunday News Reporter

24-30 March 2013

Teachers in the rural areas are set to receive a rural retention allowance as Government moves to bridge the gap between them and their urban counterparts.

The move comes amid revelations that most rural schools are manned by temporary teachers with the situation is some schools so critical that qualified teachers are outnumbered by unqualified teachers, as teachers are moving en mass to urban areas where incentives are higher than those received by rural teachers.

Responding to questions sent to the ministry by the Sunday News, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart said the Government was doing a lot to reduce and possibly close the income disparities that currently exists between rural and urban teachers.

Although he could not be drawn into stating the figures involved, he said rural allowances were being re-introduced to attract teachers to rural schools so as to arrest the continued movement of teachers from rural to urban schools where they get better incentives.

He confirmed that the concentration of temporary teachers was more in rural areas than in urban schools but added that that was not necessarily so because of recruitment blunders.

The minister said qualified teachers were deployed first to rural schools and only went to urban schools through transfer.

“While disparities between the rural and urban schools seem to be pronounced, the Government of Zimbabwe has done a lot to equate the situation.”

“Rural allowances are being re-introduced to attract teachers to rural schools. Qualified teachers are deployed first to rural schools and only come to urban schools through transfer, EFT textbooks were both supplied to primary and secondary schools in rural and urban areas to try and improve the quality of education being offered.”

“Government provides per capita and higher equalisation grants are paid to rural schools P3 and S than the tuition grants paid to urban schools,” he said.

He added that all rural districts had vehicles for personnel to monitor the teaching and learning processes and improve the quality of education on offer, adding that they ministry together with co-operating partners set aside funds that were to be used to rehabilitate schools in both rural and urban areas.

He said as regards the constitution of schools in resettlement areas, the ministry had made significant strides together with stakeholders and parents.

He confirmed that some children in resettlement areas were learning in dilapidated farm houses that were not very safe and conducive especially during the rainy season as they were exposed to the vagaries of the weather.

“The ministry in collaboration with its partners has a programme to assess the situation at the district level and take action to rehabilitate buildings and protect the learners, teachers and the community at large from the vagaries of the agents of weather,” he added.

He said it was their wish to see a situation where teachers would move from urban schools to rural schools as the conditions would be the same.