NewsDay

15 February 2012

The successful introduction of Tonga in the education curriculum has spurred the government to kick-start efforts to pursue a similar programme with other indigenous languages, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart has said.

In an interview on Tuesday, Coltart said he had engaged his counterparts in neighbouring countries to assist in the projects.

“I have had discussions with my Zambian counterpart that we use their materials in teaching the Tonga language since that country has a larger Tonga population,” he said.

“The long-term plan is to include other local languages and take them beyond Grade 7.” Coltart said languages such as Venda and Sotho would be incorporated into the curriculum in the long run.

“I have also had discussions with my counterparts in South Africa to carry out a pilot project in future for languages such as Sotho and Venda,” he said.

Coltart said there were important factors such as the issue of teachers for those particular subjects, which the ministry needed to look into before introducing the languages in schools.

At least 77,6% of Grade 7 pupils who sat for Tonga in the national examinations last year passed, a development officials say is an indication the two-year old pilot programme has been a success.

Tonga-speaking pupils first wrote the examinations in 2010 as a pilot programme to assess whether pupils were ripe to sit for public examinations.

Following the successful pilot programme, Tonga language was then tested under the Zimbabwe Examinations Council regulations at Grade 7 level in 2011.

Male pupils recorded a 75,5% pass rate while their female counterparts registered a pass rate of 79,75%.

Think Africa Press

By Kiran Madzimbamuto-Ray

15 February 2012

The government claims it lacks the resources to pay public sector workers above poverty line while hundreds of millions in diamond revenues remain unaccounted for.

Double wages may seem an ambitious demand for a public sector strike, but for the 236,000 workers earning well below that poverty line at an average of $250 a month from the Zimbabwean government, it is a question of survival.

Although this wage is higher than that of many Zimbabweans in other sectors, and although the majority of Zimbabweans in fact live far below the government’s own defined poverty line of $538, the protesters’ demands are basic and fundamental: a salary that meets the poverty line, medical insurance, improved pensions, and a travel allowance from rural areas.

The recent four day strike at the end of January, the first since the unity government came to power three years ago, closed negotiations agreeing to give an extra $58 in transport and housing allowances. It was a weak offering by the government amid claims that it simply cannot afford to meet union demands of a $288 pay rise.

Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, claimed that government salaries already account for 60% of the national budget, to the detriment of the country’s healthcare and education expenditure. However with reports of ministers’ unashamedly extravagant and lavish lifestyles also filling the local press, it is not surprising that civil servants are voicing their frustration over merely reasonable wages. The recent rise in government minister and senior employee allowances to $105 a night, in addition their $3000 monthly salary, also brings into question the credibility of their defence.

Where has all the money gone?

Considering the government’s 51% stake in the Marange diamond fields, scepticism over government claims that they cannot afford to offer public sector workers a more considerable rise is unsurprising.

Diamond profits are the state’s third largest source of revenue and one company alone mined $1.4 billion worth of Marange diamonds last year, three times the amount actually reported by the mining ministry for the whole of the Marange area.

“It’s quite clear that there’s much more money floating around than is justified by the level of economic activity,” said Eddie Cross, an MP from the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC). Clearly not all this money is making it to the national treasury. Despite the Finance Ministry being under the control of the MDC’s Finance Minister, tens of millions of dollars in diamond profits are reportedly being diverted into ZANU-PF personal and political interests.

Questions are also being asked within ZANU-PF, with one former official stating that “when you look at the fields they are mining and how rich they are and what they later declare, you see that there must be a huge difference”. As well as outright greed at the expense of the civil sector, the political implications of these profits being used in preparation for the contested upcoming election are also a cause of concern. There are reports of large procurements of weapons, financing of a new military academy, and troops being deployed to rural areas in an operation conveniently financed by the ZANU-PF member managing the state interest in Marange.

If the government cannot pay, who will?

With teachers making up the majority of government workers, it is the education sector which has been the hardest hit by the lack of accountability over government funds and the recent strikes are just the latest manifestation of a long standing dissatisfaction with the under-financed and under-resourced educational system.

Many children still have limited access to education, and for those that do get access, the teachers they encounter are often unmotivated and frustrated; hardly an optimum environment for effective learning. Undeniably, it is the government’s responsibility to provide education, but with the obvious dysfunction and failed attempts at accountability, what can be done to educate Zimbabwe’s children?

Action Aid Zimbabwe argues that increased corporate sector involvement is needed to innovate education through public-private partnerships. The Minister of Education, David Coltart, reiterated that, until Zimbabwe’s economy has been resuscitated through foreign direct investment, teachers will remain without a decent salary. According to Coltart, companies such as Apple, Intel and Epson recently expressed interest in investing in the education sector.

But is the private sector the answer, or should more be done to hold the government accountable for providing these services?

Transparency

Although only securing marginally better working conditions for civil servants, the recent strikes have drawn attention to the need for transparency and accountability in Zimbabwe. Through the negotiations, it was agreed that a committee of workers and government representatives would be created to track revenue flowing into the national treasury, an especially critical move considering the hopes of economic recovery pinned on diamonds.

By highlighting the hurdles faced by those attempting to transform power relations, the strikes have created an opportunity to evaluate the recourse available for civil servants to exert pressure on a government when their basic needs are not being met. Whether the government is forced to pay, or alternative methods of financing education are sought, for the ordinary people who depend on public services to survive, we must hope that the government discovers its sense of obligation to develop its country and its people.

ZimOnline

By Peter Marimudza

13 February 2012

More than half of Zimbabwe’s teachers have at one point during the past decade experienced some form of political violence including being threatened, beaten up, tortured or raped, according to a new report released at the weekend.

The report prepared by the Progressive Teachers of Union Zimbabwe (PTUZ) is based on the findings of a survey carried out between April and June 2011 involving 1 200 teachers randomly selected from across the country, but with particular bias to rural areas that have suffered the most political violence since 2000.

The document details how militants loyal to President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party, war veterans, soldiers and other state security agents have at every major election attacked teachers, with hundreds forced to flee schools mid-term in fear for their lives.

The report said: “51percent (of) teachers (interviewed) reported that they have directly experienced political violence of one form or another, and 55 percent stated that they had been forced to vote for a particular political party because of violence or threats of violence, with the worst election for such intimidation being June 2008.

“Sixty-eight percent stated that they had experienced violence in the June 2008 election, but high percentages also reported direct experience of violence in 2000 and also the March 2008 election.”

Too influential

According to the report, intimidation and being forced to attend political meetings were the most common forms of violation, but there was also a high incidence of assault, torture, extortion, being barred from voting, and forced displacement of teachers.

The report that calls on the coalition government of Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to ban political parties from carrying out their activities at schools says teachers were targeted because they were: “either seen as opposition supporters, too influential in the community, or not actively supporting ZANU PF.”

With Zimbabwe expected to hold fresh elections either later this year or in 2013, the report warns of possible mass resignations from schools especially in rural areas unless the governments enacts “laws that restrict and criminalise the use or occupation of schools for political activities”.

According to the report, when respondents were asked what they would do if violence recurred, “a large percentage (50 percent) responded by saying they would flee the area and move to urban schools.”

ZANU PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo could not be reached last night for comment on the matter. But Mugabe’s party has in the past denied reports linking it or its supporters to political violence as untrue and mere propaganda meant to tarnish the former liberation movement’s image.

Education Minister David Coltart was also not immediately available for comment on the matter. Coltart, from the smaller breakaway MDC faction led by Industry Minister Welshman Ncube , has in the past called on all political parties to stop using schools as venues for meetings or any other political activity.

Routine violence

Political violence and human rights abuses, especially during elections, have become routine in Zimbabwe since the 1999 emergence of Tsvangirai and his MDC as the most potent threat ever to Mugabe and ZANU PF’s decades-long hold on power.

Teachers, their spouses and families have borne the brunt of the violence and rights abuses.

For example, the PTUZ report details how teachers at Muzinda and Machiva schools in Zaka district in Masvingo province were during the run-up to the June 2008 presidential run-off election seriously beaten up as punishment for allegedly campaigning for Tsvangirai and his MDC who were then in opposition.

“On this tragic day, the 2^nd of June 2008, (the) teachers were accused of campaigning for the MDC. The attack resulted in one teacher, Taurai Gwenzi (not real name) being severely injured and hospitalised at St. Antony’s Mission Hospital,” said the report.

The report also narrates an incident when a female teacher from a school in the Midlands province town of Kwekwe was “flaunted before a gathering of over one thousand people” at a sports stadium and threatened with severe but unspecified punishment because her husband was an MDC supporter.

“The (ZANU PF) party officials went on to charge that the teacher should dig a small hole in the ground using her fingers and spit into it in a typical cultural gesture to show deep repentance for one’s sins,” the  report said.

New constitution

The report that among other key recommendations calls for the creation of school protection committees and for civil society and teachers unions to develop early warning systems to raise alarm when teachers come under attack says in several cases teachers were told how to vote during the presidential run-off election.

Zimbabwe witnessed some of its worst ever political violence during the run up to the June 2008 vote that was being held after Mugabe was defeated by Tsvangirai in an earlier vote the previous March. But Tsvangirai failed to achieve the margin required to take power and avoid a second round run-off vote.

Tsvangirai pulled out of the run-off ballot citing state–sponsored attacks against his supporters and in the process, leaving Mugabe to win as sole candidate.

But the election was universally condemned, with African countries that had refrained from criticising Mugabe in the past also denouncing the violence-marred election – a situation that forced the veteran President to open negotiations to share power with Tsvangirai.

The coalition government is writing a new constitution for Zimbabwe after which fresh polls will be held.

Zimbabweans hope the new constitution will not only guarantee their rights and freedoms but would also act as a bulwark against political violence.

However analysts say new incidents of violence — including the murder last Tuesday of an MDC activist, Sharukai Mukwena, from Zaka — that have been reported in recent months are sign that the next polls could yet again be marred by violence even with a new constitution in place.

Recommendations:

Meanwhile, to curb violence against teachers the PTUZ, which is one of three unions representing teachers in Zimbabwe, recommended that:

1. The Government of Zimbabwe must immediately declare schools as zones of peace and as such enact laws that restrict and criminalise the use or occupation of schools for political activities, especially during the electoral period.

2. Civic society and teacher unions must develop monitoring systems to detect early warning systems of attacks on education and to report political disturbances in schools in compliance with UN Resolution No. 1612 with additional modifications relevant to the situation in Zimbabwe.

3. The Ministry of Education in conjunction with critical stakeholders like the police, parents and teacher unions must set up school protection committees so that social services rendered by schools are not interrupted during times of conflict like elections

4. The Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) must actively investigate all reports involving political violence and intimidation against teachers, and at schools.

5. The government must uphold strictly provisions of paragraph 20 to the First Schedule of Statutory Instrument 1 of 2000 (Public Service Regulations, 2000) and clauses 79, 80 and 81 of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendations concerning the Status of Teachers to negate the current insistence on teachers being compelled to support only one political party.

6. The Ministry of Education must introduce civic education in the primary and secondary school curriculum which promotes national cohesion, peace and tolerance;

7. The process of national healing, if ever it is ever going to take off meaningfully, should have a thematic area dealing with the education sector in order to restore the social bond between teachers and communities which has been weakened by recurrent election violence and politicisation of the public service.

8. Overall compliance with the spirit and letter of the GPA is strongly recommended in order to curb on institutionalised violence.

The Chronicle

13 February 2012

The Government requires $87 million to introduce a retraining programme for all teachers over the next four years under the Education Transition Fund, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart has said.

Towards the end of last year, the Government announced plans to unveil a retraining programme for all teachers in the country to enhance their skills to keep up with emerging trends in the global education sector.

Senator David Coltart said yesterday that the Government, through his ministry, was in the process of mobilising resources for the retraining of teachers, which is expected to begin in the second term.

“The retraining programme for teachers has not started yet. We are in the process of mobilising resources for the programme that will run over the next four years under the Education Transition Fund.

“We have set ourselves a budget of $87 million for the programme which at the moment is at its formative stage. We are busy lobbying donor countries to assist with funding,” he said.

Sen Coltart said the British and Finish governments, among others, had indicated their commitment towards releasing resources for the proposed programme.

However, he could not be drawn into revealing how much had been raised to kick-start the programme.

It is also envisaged that the programme would improve professionalism among teachers.

Sen Coltart said the programme was detailed and could begin in the second term and run over the next four years.

“It is a quite detailed programme which is not easy to carry. We could be starting it in the second term,” he said.

“Our main concern at the moment is that the country so far has many unqualified teachers and we intend to ensure all the teachers including those with diplomas and degrees upgrade their skills.”

Although Sen Coltart could not ascertain the number of unqualified teachers in the country, he said compared to urban areas, a large proportion of untrained teachers was in rural areas such as Binga and Gokwe.

Recently, the Government lifted a ban it had imposed last year on recruitment of temporary teachers.

As part of addressing the shortage of qualified teachers, the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture recently developed a five-year strategy that seeks to attract qualified teachers into the country through improving remuneration and working conditions.

In recent years, Zimbabwe has experienced an exodus of trained and experienced teachers to neighbouring countries such as South Africa and Botswana.

ZimEye

By Moses Muchemwa

13 February 2012

The British and Finnish governments have pledged to assist Zimbabwe raise $87 million to fund the retraining of all teachers in a bid to resuscitate the education system.

According to Education, Sport, Art and Culture Minister David Coltart(pictured), talks are underway with western governments willing to assist to revive the once prosperous education system.

With the collapse of the economy a decade ago, the education sector also suffered the consequences of maladministration by President Robert Mugabe’s regime.

The cash-strapped government announced last year that there was need for retraining of teachers to keep abreast with the global education trends but lack of funding scuttled the programme.

However, Coltart said the British and Finish governments had not announced figures of how they will assist the faltering education sector.

Last year, Coltart visited Britain on an official visit to solicit funding to finance various education programmes. “We have a detailed retraining programme for teachers, which is likely to start in the second term,” he said.

He added that the retraining programme was not only meant for unqualified teachers but also those with diplomas and degrees to upgrade their skills. Hundreds of unqualified teachers are deployed in remote schools such as Binga and Gokwe districts, among others.

Zimbabwe has experienced a massive exodus of teachers to Britain, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia in search of greener pastures. The education sector has over 110 000 teachers.

New Zimbabwe

13 February 2012

Zimbabwe Cricket says it will launch an inquiry into the national team’s poor showing on a tour of New Zealand, which Sports Minister David Coltart has described as “disgraceful”.

Zimbabwe lost a one-off Test match by an innings and 301 runs before being whitewashed 3-0 in the One Day Internationals. Last Saturday, they suffered a seven-wicket defeat in the first of two Twenty20 matches.

ZC bosses have been forced to eat humble pie by stinging comments about the team’s performance, including by the Australian media.

In an editorial, the New Zealand Herald described Zimbabwe as “dreadful”, adding: “They are the worst side to tour this country, below even the poor Bangladesh outfits of the past five years. A lot of what we saw was no better than club cricket.”

Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Ozias Bvute defended Coltart’s right to criticise the team as “the relevant authority of sport and as a cricket fan”.

He added: “It would not be proper to try and find excuses as to what went wrong, save to apologise to the nation and assure our supporters that a full enquiry into our shortcomings will be made.”

Traditionally, Bvute said, Zimbabwe have never been good travellers, but even then they had hoped for “a more spirited display in all aspects of the game” on the New Zealand tour.

“…once the team return this week, we do have a reporting and review structure that allows us to do a post-mortem of the entire tour and we will then have a clearer picture of what led to Zimbabwe’s poor performance,” Bvute said in a statement.

He defended Zimbabwe Cricket against Coltart’s claims that sending 10 non-playing support staff on the tour was “top heavy”.

“The size of the touring party is determined by the needs of our team and the composition of our currently touring side is in fact at par with that of other cricketing nations embarking on tours of this nature,” Bvute argued.

“The ratio of technical staff to players is always kept at a balance that ensures that playing strategies can be enhanced when needed or specialist players brought in as was done in the case of Graeme Cremer and Propser Utseya.”

• Although we were thumped again today by NZ, Zimbabwe is making progress in adjusting to conditions. But the top order needs a serious revamp #
• France impounds African autocrats' 'ill-gotten gains' http://t.co/5BahD5LK via @guardian Sadly Zim's corrupt leaders keep their ill gottens #
• back to school… http://t.co/ndbmoEZL via @wordpressdotcom great blog by Martha Prescott a Brit married to a Zim now rebuilding education #
• About us http://t.co/jP4Ruszy via @wordpressdotcom Great blog about Martha and Ezra match made by my wife and now rebuilding Zim's ed sector #
• Seeing rain all around us in southern Africa and drought here makes me wonder if God isn't saying something to us fractious Zimbabweans #
• Critically important legal opinion regarding Zimbabwe AG's assertion that President is not required to get PM's consent http://t.co/yz6uFtVK #
• Congratulations to Matabeleland Tuskers for winning today the Logan Cup 2nd year in a row. Simply magnificent having Davy Houghton as coach #
• Well done to our neighbours Zambia for beating Ghana in AFCON. I bet my counterpart Dr J Phiri Min of Ed for Zambia is cockahoop – so am I ! #
• Zimbabwe is not far off the best – we beat Mali 2-1 last year. Mali narrowly lost the semis against Ivory Coast. Zim must qual for World Cup #
• Our thoughts are with the Zim boys as they prepare for the 3rd ODI against NZ in Napier. Time for self belief and determination. Give it all #
• Zimbabweans doing a great job to help NZ win. Silly run outs and then Zimbabwean Colin de Grandhomme catches Taibu and helps run out Waller #
• 197 hundred runs scored off Vitori and Chigumbura's 19 overs at 10.36 took the game away from Zimbabwe. #
• Now Zimbabwean Colin de Grandhomme takes a good catch to dismiss Taylor. Nothing like rubbing salt in wound having a Zim taking 3 Zim wkts #
• Interested that the NZ commentators studiously ignore the fact that Colin de Grandhomme is Zim! Amzing how Zim helps so many nations' teams #
• Zim born and raised de Grandhomme, a St Georges boy I think, now NZ player, ripped the heart out of Zimbabwe taking Taibu, Taylor and Waller #
• Colin de Grandhomme's (born in Harare in 1986) father Laurence actually played cricket for Zimbabwe. We have to stop the drain of talent now #
• I really question the team selection. Vusi's non inclusion and how could Shingi be left out after superb performances in the 1st 2 ODIs? #
• Need for a serious rethink in Zim cricket. 10 support staff in NZ including 2 managers meant that specialist players left in Zim. Top heavy. #
• National pride is a stake – this disgraceful performance was a combination of poor selection & wrong priorities. Feel for Taylor who tried. #
• Meanwhile back at the ranch Vusi Sibanda and Gary Ballance on 140 and 115 n/o speak with their bats. Imagine if they had been playing today #
• One of my broad political philosophies is a belief in small government and the same applies to administration of sports teams. #
• The southern part of Zimbabwe is now seriously short of rain and most crops here are a write off. Hundreds of thousands will need food aid #
• Much better today Zimbabwe in the 20/20 even if we lose at least some respectability restored. But why is Coventry not part of this team? #
• Well done Zim – much better performance. Still question why so many support staff at the expense of bringing in specialists like Coventry #
• Had we had a 30 off 15 balls from Coventry on top of Chigs and Masa the target would have been a hard one to get. Must get this right #
• Here's hoping that #Zim #039;s "Clean Warriors" prepare well for their start to 2013 AFCON qualifiers in Bujumbura on 29 Feb http://t.co/Y6xKtcX8 #

The Standard

11 February 2012

Ordinary and Advanced Level examination markers have accused Zimsec of short-changing them by paying them three quarters of their fees instead of the full amount as earlier agreed.

Examination markers who spoke to The Standard yesterday, said Zimsec was supposed to pay them all their fees before results were released, but this has not been done.  “Zimsec deposited only three quarters of our fees, but the body has not communicated to us as to why there is such a huge shortfall,” said one examination marker who requested anonymity.

The makers were supposed to be paid between 90 cents and US$1,20 per each paper they marked. Markers who were expecting between and US$600 and US$700 got only US$300.

Raymond Majongwe, the secretary general of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, said Zimsec was not respecting teachers as professionals by failing to pay them in full for marking examinations. “The real challenge is that markers were duped into believing that money would be deposited into their accounts, but up until now they haven’t got their full pay,” Majongwe said.

Sifiso Ndlovu, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association public relations officer said that Zimsec has paid only 75% of the amounts involved and blamed it for not honouring markers contracts. “Markers signed contracts and are they supposed to have been paid in full seven days after they finished marking. We will make this a matter of urgency, as we take it up with the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture,” said Ndlovu.

“A long-term recommendation of adequate funding will be suggested so as to avoid such cases and encourage participation of educators in terms of marking,” Ndlovu added.

A disgruntled marker who spoke to The Standard said the way Zimsec treated markers would compromise examination marking in the future. “They want us to mark examinations but they do not want to pay us. Is this the way to go?”

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Education Union of Zimbabwe (NEUZ) is also unhappy with Zimsec.

The body has appealed to Education minister David Coltart to intervene in a labour dispute between the exams body and and its workers.

An independent arbitrator Arthur Manase recently ordered Zimsec to pay its 290 employees US$400 000 in outstanding housing allowances dating back to 12 months ago.

NewsDay

10 February 2012

A serious rethink at Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is needed if national pride is to be salvaged following the national team’s humiliating three-match series whitewash defeat at the hands of New Zealand.

Zimbabwe lost the one-off Test last week and the Black Caps completed the one-day international (ODI) series whitewash yesterday with a 202-run victory at McLean Park in Napier, much to the disgust of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart.

Coltart described the performance as disgraceful and questioned the wisdom of taking 10 support staff on the tour while leaving behind specialist players, in particular opening batsman Vusi Sibanda. After watching Zimbabwe clobbered, despite captain Brendan Taylor’s 65, Coltart made a series if tweets:

“National pride is a stake, this disgraceful performance was a combination of poor selection and wrong priorities. Feel for Taylor who tried.

“Need for a serious rethink in Zim Cricket. 10 support staff in NZ including two managers meant that specialist players left in Zim. Top heavy.

“I really question the team selection. Vusi’s non-inclusion and how could Shingi be left out after superb performances in the 1st two ODIs?”

Sibanda was dropped for opting to play grade cricket in Australia instead of domestic cricket which was a violation of the ZC contract rules.

According to ZC regulations, players who are not a part of domestic cricket will not be considered for the national team. Sibanda declined the offer from his franchise MidWest Rhinos at the start of the domestic season on September, 2011.

He even did not take part in the Stanbic T20 competition and chose to play for Eastern Suburbs, Australia, instead.

Masakadza picked up four wickets for 46 runs in the opening 90-run loss and followed that up with one wicket for 68 and 38 runs as Zimbabwe lost the match by 141 runs before being dropped for yesterday’s huge loss.

Zimbabwe were never in the match when they batted, though Taylor (65) and Tatenda Taibu (26) combined for a 67-run third wicket partnership. Both were well caught by substitute fielder Colin de Grandhomme, leaving the visitors floundering at 115 for five.

New Zealand had looked like they might post a target of 400-plus following the blistering 153-run opening stand between Martin Guptill (85) and Rob Nicol (61).

Nicol, who scored 146 in the second match in Whangarei, was dropped by Tino Mawoyo on 10 in just the third over and made the Africans pay before he was trapped lbw by Prosper Utseya on the final ball of the 22nd over.

Guptill, who scored 70 in the first match and 77 in the second, had looked well placed for a century, but was dismissed on the next ball when he missed a wide down the leg side by left-arm spinner Ray Price, fell over and was stumped by Taibu.