• ZANU PF's pathetic reaction to fall of Gaddafi shows how out of touch with reality they are – still don't understand the lifeline given them #
• Well done to Zim XI for great performance against Pakistan in cricket warm up match yesterday #
• Ngoni Makusha in World long jump finals today – go do it for Zimbabwe Ngoni! Best of luck #
• Congratulations to Ngoni Makusha for winning bronze in the World Athletics long jump. Makorokoto, Umhlope! http://t.co/JK5yMxW #
• Good luck to coach Norman Mapeza and the Zimbabwean Warriors football team as they prepare to play Liberia tomorrow – Zim is behind you all! #
• Ray Price eventually forces Younis Khan to hit out to break the drought he had imposed on the Pakistanis and he is caught; well done Razor! #
• Now we need the Warriors to emulate the spirit of Ngoni Makusha, Ray Price, Kirsty Coventry and Stephen Muzhingi and beat Liberia this pm #
• Zimbabwe's catching has been atrocious – had we taken even half the catches offered Pakistan would be in deep trouble. #
• Disappointing batting performance by Zimbabwe but this is a learning curve – we are paying for basic errors such as dropping catches #

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

BY Vladimir Mzaca

4 September, 2011 

School teachers say politicians are abusing the curriculum. The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said in a press statement this week that the history curriculum in particular had been militarised.

The union blamed this situation on events over the years that have seen Zanu-PF lose its grip on politics. As a result, Zanu-PF had resorted to brainwashing school children and teaching only history that favoured the party, it said.

“The threat to the political order which emerged at independence in 1980 has prompted power-holders to officially abuse the history curriculum to peddle their ideology and brainwash the innocent learners,” the union said.

“Teachers too have not been spared and those working in politically volatile areas have stopped teaching components of the history syllabus deemed to be politically incorrect for fear of being attacked. Non-professionals or professionals cum-politicians have now invaded the system to teach what they call ‘national history’.”

In April, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) said the political situation was forcing teachers to desert rural schools that are understaffed or have unqualified staff.

The teachers appealed to the principals in the Global Political Agreement to solve the problem of political violence and setting up of militia bases at schools.

PTUZ said Zanu-PF was moving into primary schools to push its propaganda on innocent children by offering what it terms “structural lessons”.

“According to the ‘syllabus’ designed by the National Museums and Monuments, pupils will be exposed to biased content, which is the subject of a fierce dispute between Zanu-PF and other political formations in the country,” the union said.

PTUZ argued that curriculum developers have substituted topics such as food studies and health with studies in democracy, nationhood and territorial integrity as well as sovereignty. These topics were being taught on biased political ideologies.

The union said its members were at a crossroads, especially history teachers, who found it hard to teach the subject without being accused of attacking Zanu-PF. This has forced teachers to avoid teaching true history for their own safety.

“As a coping strategy, most of us have now resorted to either teaching one-sided history for our safety or to stop teaching such topics,” read the statement.

PTUZ said the history curriculum had been structured in a “militarised” manner, which sought to undermine other aspects of human history, such as economic, technological and social aspects.

“Collectively we must see the militarisation of the national history as an attack on our children’s freedom of conscience and their right to develop critical minds.

Last month Education Sports and Culture Minister David Coltart said government was working on an educational policy that would make it a criminal offence for politicians to interfere in the running of schools .

“We have adopted a policy to ensure that children are not part of political campaigns in school. The absence of a tougher educational policy has posed serious effects on school children who are swept into the political agenda. The policy is a priority to the ministry, we don’t want politicians in schools,” he said.

“Schools should not be partisan to politics. School children should learn about politics in the classroom, its part of history and culture, learn about the different ideologies but should not be involved in campaigns. Thisproblem is common in the rural areas, where politicians have created bases and even threaten teachers,” Coltart said.

Sunday Mail

4th September 2011

By Lincoln Towindo

EDUCATION, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart has clashed with Permanent Secretary Dr Stephen Mahere over the former’s alleged plans to allow Trust schools to run their affairs without Government oversight.

Sources revealed last week that Sen Coltart attempted to “smuggle” a clause granting the schools total independence into the education sector reform programme.

If the plan succeeds, the learning institutions would be free to produce their own school calendar, set tuition fees and levies as well as write external examinations of their choice.

The sources said tensions escalated after Dr Mahere resisted the move, resulting in the clash that has seen the two fail to exchange kind words over a            month.

“The two have been at each other’s throats since (Dr) Mahere blocked (Sen) Coltart’s bid to give Trust schools more freedom,” said a source.

“They have failed to exchange even the barest of pleasantries for over a month now because of their fight.

“The minister sought to revert to the old Rhodesian system where Government had no say whatsoever in what happened at these schools.

“Had (Sen) Coltart’s proposals been accepted, this would have resulted in private schools being given the freedom to levy their own school fees and produce their own calendar while writing foreign examinations of their choice.”

Last week the minister denied there was bad blood.

He said education sector reform documents do not recognise the existence of Trust schools.

“That is absolute nonsense! If you look at the documents that we have produced so far on the education sector reform, you will realise that at no point is there reference to Trust schools.

“We view all non government or non local government schools as the same and see no need to draw distinctions between them at all.”

Dr Mahere refused to comment.

Statement by Senator David Coltart

1st September 2011

On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture I would like to welcome you to the African Olympic Qualifier in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

This tournament is a build up to the 2012 London Olympics, with the winners in the men’s and women’s competition gaining automatic qualification into the Olympics for the Africa Zone. The runner up from this tournament will go through to a further qualifying tournament.

Zimbabwe hockey has a rich history, with hockey having been played in the country for many years. The country’s successes are highlighted by the famous “Golden Girls” who won gold at the 1980 Olympic Games. Hockey has been played at a high level in Zimbabwe’s schools and it is hoped that with the revival of the club structures and development of hockey facilities, such as the Khumalo Hockey Stadium, that the game will go from strength to strength.

The game of hockey is gaining popularity amongst African nations, and the quality of the participating teams will ensure that spectators will be treated to entertaining hockey. It will be a challenge for the participating teams to achieve the ultimate goal of Olympic qualification.

I would like to thank the Minister of Finance, the Hon Tendai Biti MP, and his Ministry, the Minister of Public Works, the Hon Joel Gabbuza, and his Ministry, the City of Bulawayo, the Local Organising Committee, and the many individuals involved for their efforts in ensuring that Zimbabwe could host this African Olympic Qualifier.  I am particularly grateful to local Bulawayo Schools and Clubs and parents for their magnificent help in renovating the Stadium. This has been a wonderful team effort.

I am delighted that the tournament has attracted teams from throughout Africa. My hope is that you all have a memorable stay and that you see for yourself that Zimbabwe, after a decade of trauma, is now rebuilding and is a wonderful place to visit. We certainly look forward to welcoming you all back again soon.

Good luck to all participating teams and officials at the tournament. I am sure that the efforts of all those involved will result in a marvellous and successful spectacle for hockey players, supporters and the City of Bulawayo.

Senator David Coltart

Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture 

Zimbabwean

By Vusimusi Bhebhe

31st August 2011

Zimbabwe’s Education Minister David Coltart has accused Zanu (PF) of living in cloud cuckoo land and refusing to accept the reality of an unfolding African people-led revolution that has seen unprecedented political change across the continent.

Commenting on Zanu (PF)’s angry reaction to last week’s decision by Libyan ambassador Taher Elmagrahi to defect to the rebel-led National Transitional Council, Coltart said President Robert Mugabe’s party was unwisely refusing to smell the coffee and learn from events elsewhere in Africa.

Elmagrahi had earlier joined other embassy staff and Libyan nationals on August 24 in chanting freedom songs as they burned the green flag synonymous with the regime of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

They replaced the flag with the red, black and green banner that was used by the Kingdom of Libya before Gaddafi changed it after seizing power in 1969.

The Zanu (PF) wing of Zimbabwe’s shaky coalition government ordered Elmagrahi to leave the country last week, insisting that the envoy lost his diplomatic privileges after declaring his allegiance to the NTC.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joey Bimha said Elmagrahi was no longer recognised as Libyan ambassador since the NTC had no legal status in Zimbabwe.

“Zanu (PF)’s reaction to the fall of Gaddafi shows how out of touch with reality they are. They still don’t understand the lifeline given them,” Coltart said, apparently referring to a compromise power-sharing agreement brokered by former South African president Thabo Mbeki in 2008 to accommodate Mugabe and his party after they lost elections earlier that year.

The Libyan embassy was later forced to pull down the NTC’s flag.

• "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
  Clean from my hand? No!" Macbeth on killing King Duncan – apposite to Zimbabwe? #
• "Out, damned spot! out, I say!Hell is murky! What need we
  fear who knows it, when none can call our power
  to account?" Lady Macbeth #
• Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,
  Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow, #
• Raze out the written troubles of the brain #
• "And with some sweet oblivious antidote
  Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff
  Which weighs upon the heart? " #
• Astonishing to watch Sky News coverage of the capture of Gaddafi's compound this afternoon – thank God we are taking a peaceful route in Zim #
• "How do AU leaders sleep knowing that Anglo-Saxons are hunting Gaddafi like a wild animal" http://t.co/SqKHgN0 Not too many anglos hunting #
• From what I have seen on TV it seems that it is Libyans who are hunting Gaddafi like a wild animal not Anglo-Saxons #
• RT @australian Footnotes to African history | The Australian http://t.co/fWRCH2A #
• Zimbabwe's blind cricket commentator – Telegraph http://t.co/oaf9Gej via @Telegraph #

The Australian

The Sightgeist, by Jon Kudelka 

27 August 2011

DAVID Coltart is one of the bravest men I’ve met. He is a senator from Zimbabwe — the only white man in Robert Mugabe’s cabinet — and he was in Australia recently as the guest of the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, where he delivered the annual Acton lecture on religion and freedom at Parliament House.

The place was jam-packed, no doubt because Coltart is one of the very few people who takes on Mugabe, who is rather fond of sending the police to arrest him. Ironically enough, he sends them to the senator’s home in a white Landrover supplied by the British government. Mind you, it was only recently that Mugabe and his new, young, spendthrift wife — she who loves nothing more than a whiff of an expensive shop — spent some nights at Buckingham Palace.

Of course the odds are Her Majesty and Mugabe have met on more than one occasion, given he runs a Commonwealth country. Indeed, I’ve had my own semi-brush with him.

Mugabe was in China when I was sent there 25 years ago to cover the Queen’s visit to that country. There were a few rough edges to be smoothed out. The Chinese powers that be provided the royal couple with a car and they put in tinted windows because they assumed she would want to keep to herself. Au contraire. What is the point of being a queen if you can’t give a plethora of grand little waves from the back seat? So transparent windows became the order of the day.

Mugabe, who was wandering around with his bodyguards, was a bit nervous about the fact the Chinese have a longstanding love of firecrackers. They are a celebration of life, and the populace went a bit mad when Her Maj was visiting. This was not good news for Mugabe’s bodyguards. Every time a cracker went off they would have to push their boss over and throw themselves on to his prostrate body in case the “pop” was an assassination attempt.

I bumped into three of his guards at an airport in China and they were exhausted and as stiff as three boards. They also had to stay with him at night: one in the bath, one under the bed and one in the bed. Well, OK, I made that one up but it was entirely possible. What a job!

All those years ago, of course, Mugabe wasn’t so on the nose internationally. He still had hero status, having been a staunch supporter of the anti-apartheid movement. That said, this time last year when I was visiting South Africa, there was a meeting of black African leaders in Johannesburg and Mugabe and Muammar Gaddafi were given standing ovations when they entered the hall. It was the Africans cocking a snook at the West.

It was fascinating to hear Coltart’s outstanding analysis of the status quo in Zimbabwe and it was also an eye-opener to recognise several self-confirmed atheists present who were clearly impressed. Coltart, you see, believes strongly in God and is also adamant that God is working very hard at saving mankind. Blessed are the peacemakers, Coltart says, and he believes the West is suffering God’s wrath because it does not acknowledge Biblical truths.

If you weren’t there you can get a full account of the evening — not only of the speech but of the questions and answers after he had done his bit — by going to the CIS website.

Zimbabweans, black and white, live in a country that can be hellish, but they show much fortitude and sang froid. I’ve recently been reading a book written by journalist Douglas Rogers. Living in London, he phoned home from a friend’s birthday party in Europe when he heard a white farmer had been murdered and Mugabe was threatening to take away land from the majority of white farmers: a clear case of the oppressed becoming the oppressors.

His mother answered the phone and sounded very stressed. He pictured her and his father barricaded in the house with a mob at the door.’

“What’s happening Mum, what’s happening?” “We’ve already lost four wickets.” “Four whats?” “Four wickets darling. Not going very well at all. It’s 91 for four!”

“Jeez, Ma. Not the cricket. The farm! Have you any idea what’s going on there?” “Oh that,” she finally said. “Yes, well, it doesn’t look very good, does it? I guess we’re just going to wait and see.”

The son told them to pack up and lie low and get out. “Darling,” she said, “don’t be ridiculous. We are Zimbabweans.

“This is our land.”

Zimbabwean

26 August 2011

By Tony Saxon

Teachers here are being forced to buy Zanu (PF) cards by war veterans, The Zimbabwean has learnt.

Teachers at Gombakomba and Dangare schools in Zimunya district last week said that war veterans led by Robert Rufuse and Jonas Chitakatira were living in fear as they were forced to buy the cards as a way of showing allegiance to Zanu (PF).

“The situation is terrible here. We are on holiday but they are coming to our houses forcing us to buy the Zanu (PF) cards. They also told us to assure them that Zanu (PF) will not lose in the forthcoming elections,” said a teacher at Gombakomba secondary school.

“They (war veterans) have all the names of teachers at our school and they have made sure that everyone has a Zanu (PF) card,” said another teacher at Dangare primary school.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president, Takavafira Zhou, confirmed that his office had been receiving complaints from various teachers in schools.

“This has been happening in Masvingo too. Teachers are living in fear. They have no option besides buying Zanu (PF) cards for their safety,” he said. Zhou said his organization would meet the Minister of Education David Coltart over the harassment of teachers.

VOA

24 August 2011

By Jonga Kandemiiri

Human rights defenders have called for the closure of the training base, but presidential aide Didymus Mutasa told a Harare newspaper that the youths are school leavers engaged in constructive activities.

Zimbabwean human rights groups say about 200 members of the youth militia controlled by President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party are being trained at Sherenje Secondary School in Headlands, Manicaland province, contrary to the wishes of local residents.

The member of parliament for the constituency of Headlands is ZANU-PF Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa, minister of state in the office of President Mugabe.

Human rights defenders have called for the closure of the training base, but Mutasa told the independent Daily News paper recently that the youths were school leavers engaged in activities that would benefit the local community and themselves.

Sources said about 70 of the youths will graduate later this month and that villagers have been forced to contribute to costs of the ceremony.

Education Minister David Coltart said he was not yet fully informed of what was going on at Sherenje, but promised to comment once he had investigated the situation. Coltart has on a number of occasions declared Zimbabwe’s schools off-limits to politics.

Though ZANU-PF considers the youth militia to be performing national service, they are generally regarded as an arm of of the party. Youth militia members were prominent in the deadly violence seen in many parts of Zimbabwe during the 2008 elections.

Manicaland provincial spokesman Pishai Muchauraya of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told VOA Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that the militia have turned the school into a no-go zone and that the youths have been abusive of local residents and demanded they perform menial services.

Neither Youth Minister Saviour Kasukuwere nor ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo could be reached for comment on the situation in Headlands.