ZimEye.org

17 March 2011

Education, Art, Sport and Culture Minister David Coltart said the government is going to reintroduce night school learning throughout the country in order to assist children who dropped out of school in the past decade of economic decline adding that he had raised the funds to be paid to the teachers who shall do the work.

Thousands of school going people dropped out of school before the inception of the Government of National Unity (GNU) because of most parents’ failure to raise school fees school.

Some of the affected crossed the border for the Diaspora without completing their education.

“I have just finalised the funding deal with donors which will see teachers being paid for extra lessons countrywide. We have realised that it is essential to establish night schools so that people who dropped out of school can go back and at least get basic education that will enable them to fend for themselves,” Coltart said at an electricity commissioning programme at Westlea Primary School.

Coltart said the funding will also reduce the burden which parents were carrying of giving incentives to teachers.

As a result of  the depressed economy teachers were demanding incentives from parents

The Incentives parents were paying were meant to improve teachers’ salaries.

This then resulted in an inequitable treatment of students from impoverished family backgrounds.

www.globalconversation.org

By Danielle Johnstone

March 17th, 2011

Senator David Coltart is the current Minister of Education, Sports and Culture in Zimbabwe. In the 1980s, Coltart was keenly involved in campaigning against the colonial Rhodesian Front. He is currently part of the opposition party, MDC, in the Mutambara faction.

At one stage, Zimbabwe’s education system was noted as one of the best in the world. Sadly, the crisis in the country that started in 2000 has caused it to deteriorate. Teachers left schools to pursue other careers or to emigrate, and funding for public schools fell sharply with the failure of the Zimbabwean currency and economy.

In this interview, Senator Coltart addresses some of the historical elements that have maintained the strength of education in Zimbabwe even throughout its turmoil in the political crisis, and his policies for reforming and improving education in the country.

Me: Zimbabwe is acclaimed as having one of the most literate populations in Africa and a lot of people would say that this is a triumph in the field of education in itself. How far do you feel that Zimbabwe’s efforts at education have been successful?

DC: There’s no doubt that Zimbabwe has one of the best education systems in Africa and the roots of that go back well over 50 years. In the 1950s, a very good curriculum for all peoples was devised. The problem with the education system in the 1960s and 70s was that a series of bottlenecks were created so that whilst all white children benefitted from the curriculum only very talented black children could get through these bottlenecks. But the bottom line is that the underlying education system even during Rhodesian days was very good. This is especially apparent if you compare it to South Africa, where they had Bantu education. The basic Bantu education was terrible. It was designed to ensure that all people could only be menial labourers. They didn’t have good literacy and numeracy skills.

A Zimbabwean classroom. Citing an educational “crisis” on the ground and questionable methodology, education Minister Colatart has scoffed at a United Nations Development Program’s 2010 Statistical Digest which put the southern African country’s literacy rate at 92 percent — the highest in Africa.

What happened in 1980 was that ZANU-PF came to power and, in essence, broke all the bottlenecks. They rapidly expanded the education system- that at its core was good. That resulted in, by the end of the 1980s, Zimbabwe having, by some considerable margin, the best education system in the whole of Africa. South Africa on the other hand is still battling with its education system because the foundation was rotten, so they will have to completely transform their system. So, up until the late 1980s, we had a terrific education system. Sadly in the last two decades it has been terribly under-funded. So, by the end of the 1990’s, it was in decline, not in terms of the basic standard, but in terms of access to education, especially for poor Zimbabweans.

Me: Where do you feel education still needs to be improved?

DC: What I’ve been trying to do during the last two years is stabilize the sector, stop it from continuing its free-fall. And, we’ve pretty much done that. We’ve got teachers back in schools, teachers teaching again, textbooks delivered to schools. Our great challenge now is to get adequate resources, to ensure that teachers are paid a viable wage and to start rehabilitating the physical infrastructure of our schools, which is in a serious state of neglect. Another key program is the review of the curriculum, which hasn’t been comprehensibly reviewed since the 1980s. There have been major changes in teaching techniques and knowledge in particular subjects, so we have to bring our curriculum up to date.

Me: You have spoken about how Zimbabwean education is well-based on older colonial structures, but how do you feel education is now being effected by a new Zimbabwean culture, new traditions, new colours, in a more racially-open period in Zimbabwe?

DC: Well obviously in last 30 years, our curriculum has been made increasingly relevant to an African culture. The strength of a Southern Rhodesian, in other words a pre-UDI, system is that it emphasized strong numeracy and literacy skills, which transcend culture. And a curriculum that was relevant to Africa, relevant to Zimbabwe was built upon that foundation. So, it is a curriculum that is entirely relevant to Zimbabwe.

Me: Well, I feel that Zimbabwean and African history is neglected in the classroom, by my experience. Perhaps this is limited to private schools, however. But what effect do you think it has had on Zimbabwean nationality and national identity?

DC: I think that you are correct that there is such a terrible gulf in the teaching of history because in private schools there is a focus on western, American and European, history and very little taught on Zimbabwean or African history. The other extreme is that the government history curriculum is very partisan and in fact it’s racist in some respects. So the history curriculum is a key area that needs curricular change and refinement. We need a history syllabus that is far more objective and less divisive. Then we will need to make sure that all sectors of our society learn that history, and in that way use it as a tool to help reconciliation.

Me: You’ve spoken briefly about the gap between private and public education and how class distinction has crept into education. To what extend to you feel that the closing of this gap is a priority in reforming education and how should Zimbabwe go about doing this?

DC: There is no doubt a huge gulf, which is growing because of the serious under-funding of government schools. We’ve got to tackle it in a couple of ways. Obviously we need to direct further resources to government schools. I’ve always said there’s no point pulling private schools down to the level of government schools. Instead we have to aim at raising the standards in government schools to those enjoyed in private schools. The main strategy is to generally get more government resources for these schools.

We also have some more refined policies, the principle of which is the academies program, where we are focusing resources on a few key government schools, rehabilitating their infrastructure, getting the best teachers in and then reserving 40% of the intake for talented yet disadvantaged Zimbabweans. In that way I hope we will be able to provide for talented, disadvantaged Zimbabweans a sort of “half-way house” school which is a lot cheaper than private schools but which offers an education and facilities that are comparable to private institutions.

Me: In thinking about this development of education, the idea of tertiary education comes to mind. How important do you think universities are? Does tertiary education hold less priority than primary and secondary education?

DC: Obviously we have to preserve our tertiary institutions because otherwise where will we get our doctors and engineers? I believe, and this is a personal view and not a view of the cabinet, that we’ve spread our resources too thinly over too many universities, and we probably need to focus our limited resources on a couple of key universities. I’m not saying that we close the other universities down, but we need to recognize that until we get some centers of excellence at tertiary level, the danger is that all our universities will just be second- or third-rate, and remain that way.

Me: As well as being a minister of education, your portfolio includes sports and culture, which some would see as being completely separate entities to education education. What role do you feel that sport and culture play in the education of Zimbabwe’s youth?

DC: Well, I think that there’s a logic in putting them all together. Increasingly in the modern world, sport and art provide a livelihood for people- I have a stock phrase, I say “Sport is business, art is business.” In our curriculum reform we intend to ensure that sports and art become an integral part of the curriculum, taught in the same way as Maths or English.

Me: Well, sport has an integral role in Zimbabwean society. In 2003, key cricket players, Andy Flowers and Henry Olonga wore black armbands during the world cup to signify their mourning over the “death of Zimbabwe”. The sparked quite a heated controversy. How much do you think this action impacted politics in Zimbabwe in a tangible way, and how much do you think sports has a role in politics?

DC: Firstly, Andy and Henry’s protest was done at what arguable were some of the darkest days in our history.  Their actions had a profound impact on world opinion. They highlighted the very grave human rights violations that were taking place in the country and they were seriously damaging to ZANU-PF and Robert Mugabe. I did and still do, support what they did.

They were very brave acts that had a very powerful effect. Having said that, I believe that sports and politics, as far as they can should be kept apart. I don’t think that sporting associations should ever become partisan. But individuals do have fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, and they should, within reason, never be denied the opportunity of expressing their views. Andy and Henry’s actions didn’t disrupt the game in any way- I think that they struck the perfect balance. Another area that sport can have a powerful role is in reconciliation.

Me: Clearly, politics creeps into areas where people would prefer it remained absent. Politics have caused various disruptions in the education sector for example, with teachers strikes a few years ago being of great concern throughout Zimbabwe. How far do you think politics has impacted on education? And can education impact politics?

DC: Well, I was saying in parliament today, the education ministry in any country should be the least political of any, because children should be allowed to develop their own thought processes. In the Zimbabwean situation, schools have been used as bases for militia and teachers have been threatened and that is abhorrent. But if children are taught properly and develop good literacy and numeracy skills, if they are able to access the Internet and read, that knowledge invariably results in people being empowered. And empowered people result in a strong, democratic nation, because people know their rights and can see through the wiles and corruption of politicians. Society becomes more accountable. A strong education system is a prerequisite to an effective and strong democracy.

Me: One of the big problems governments face is how to distribute resources. In what ways do you think education should remain a priority for government spending when there are so many other areas where government invests?

DC: Well, I don’t think you can support the education sector at the expense of the health sector or vice-versa. I think other sectors of society should be deprived so that both education and health are adequately funded. I personally believe that the defense, especially, of small nations like Zimbabwe does not require anything like the amount of funding that we’ve allocated. Also, the size of government in Zimbabwe, 39 ministers, is ridiculous. This is where cuts should be made.

Statement by Senator David Coltart

15 March 2011

On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture. I wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Japan following the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck parts of Japan last week.

The Ministry of  Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has a long history of friendship with Japan and numerous artists , students and sportsmen and women of Zimbabwe have had various opportunities supported by the people of Japan. Japan is also one of the few countries which has supported the Education Transition  Fund, which in turn has funded the textbook programme for all primary schools in Zimbabwe. This act of generosity towards our children makes the suffering of Japanese children and their families all the more distressing for us. The Ministry of  Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and indeed our entire nation Zimbabwe, stands with the people of Japan and we are ready to assist in whatever way we can.

Senator David Coltart

Harare

15 March 2011

Newsday

By Nqobani Ndlovu

14 March 2011

The Welshman Ncube-led MDC is seeking the arrest of Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara on contempt of court charges for his continued representing of the party during the weekly inclusive government principals’ meeting.

The party said it would seek Mutambara’s arrest.

The MDC said it would also file court contempt charges against President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for allowing Mutambara to attend the weekly indabas held every Monday by the three principals.

For attending the weekly principals’ meeting, officials in the MDC said Mutambara was in violation of a recent High Court directive barring him from exercising any function vested in the president of the party.

“We are filing court contempt charges against Mutambara because he should not be attending the principals’ meeting since he is not the MDC leader,” Edwin Ndlovu, the MDC Bulawayo spokesperson, told NewsDay on Sunday.

“He is violating a court order and should be arrested. He can do any other functions of the DPM, but not any other functions relating to the party that principals discuss every Monday,” Ndlovu said.

Lawyer Josphat Tshuma, who is representing the MDC, confirmed he was filing papers against Mutambara for violating a High Court interim relief barring him from representing the party.

Qhubani Moyo, a senior MDC official, last week said Mutambara was a “dangerous element to democracy for undermining the judiciary by his violation of the interim order”.

“The act of attending the meeting of principals is a clear contempt of the High Court ruling and a clear sign of undermining of the judiciary. This is particularly sad coming from someone who has always claimed to be a champion of democracy and human rights,” Moyo said last week.

Mutambara’s attempts to regain control of the MDC suffered a huge knock after Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Ndou ruled he could not purport to be president of the party until the leadership dispute was fully resolved.

The interim relief granted by Justice Ndou reads: “The respondent is interdicted from exercising any function vested in the president of the MDC and/or principal in the inclusive government pending the finalisation of the matter in case number HH612/11.”

Mutambara is challenging the court interdict.

Yesterday, Mutambara’s spokesperson Maxwell Zimuto said he would not comment on issues that were being dealt with by the courts.

“Ncube, as a lawyer, should know that making a comment now on a case which is sub judice is improper. I do not want to be dragged into matters that are being dealt with by the courts and it would be unfair for me to comment on the issue now,” he said.

“However, in any case, is being a party president equal to being a principal?”

The Ncube-led MDC approached the court seeking an order barring Mutambara from performing duties of party president.

Mutambara has, however, refused to step down since Ncube took over as leader during the party’s congress in January.

The saga has seen President Mugabe taking sides with Mutambara, telling Ncube he will not swear him in, no matter what happens.

Ncube’s camp hit back saying they had “donated” Mutambara and the DPM post to Zanu PF.

But Mutambara continues to claim the presidency to the party and reports last month indicated he was considering sacking ministers Ncube, David Coltart and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and had allegedly already approached several party MPs offering them ministerial appointments.

The Herald

By Chipo Bewu

14 March 2011

The phenomena of extra lessons by most teachers and schools across the country has crippled our education system like cancer and in the manner exhibited by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.

The main reason why teachers are demanding pupils to pay for extra lessons is because they are not adequately remunerated. However, Zimbabwe has been going through economic recession, the education sector was on its demise like any other government department.

While most parents appreciate difficulties that teachers and the rest of civil service is going through, the question is, who in this country is earning enough to bask in the glory of paying the extra cost for their children’s education.

When will salaries for civil servant be enough to warrant the removal of this cancer? The only barometer for a reasonable salary is the poverty datum line, which is fair, but against what the company or institution gross earnings.

It seems as if education is the only sector more important than any other government departments. The truth of the matter is that all Zimbabweans black or white at the moment are reeling under the marauding effects of the economic recession and therefore it is unreasonable for the ministry of education to sanction what Minister David Coltart calls incentives for teachers yet he forgets that it is not the education sector alone that makes government business tick.

This said, we need to look at other civil servants who are equally important if we are to build a healthy and prosperous Zimbabwe.

This is like commissioning corruption in the education sector because remedial lessons have always been there in all schools for all pupils at no extra cost. Most parents are burdened by other commitments such as exorbitant schools fees, health care fees and rentals yet their salaries are just meagre.

In rural areas, the effect of droughts in the previous two years’ farming seasons also dampened hopes for the farmers for better harvests.

Many parents will agree that teachers are holding children, parents and the nation at ransom in a mafia-style of the Somali pirates who have over the years derailed trade and commerce Eastern Africa and the rest of Southern Africa who are heavily dependant on these ports.

If we are fair enough as a government, what are we saying to other civil servants like nurses, soldiers, police officers, Arex officers and many others not mentioned?

In order to achieve fairness, we will end up with a scenario where a new farmer should pay an incentive each time he or she calls an Arex officer to his farm, so should the police officer handing the a criminal case, the public prosecutor, the road engineer, and immigration officer. The plight of children should not be used as a tool to wage a war like the biblical ruthless Harold who ordered all first born baby boys to be killed fearing his throne could be taken. If the Commissioner-General of police, Augustine Chihuri said they want to rid of corrupt police officers to have a credible police force, are we saying teachers, nurses, soldiers and Arex officers are exempted from the rule?

A few years back most children in Harare were made to roam the streets begging for alms, which they called “sponsoring”. These were deplorable practices and I remember the director of education for Harare Province Mr Tomax Dhoba describing them as unacceptable.

In retrospect, when we went to school in the late 70s to early 80s it was optional or compulsory for pupils to attend lessons during or towards examination calendar in order to boost chances of passing examinations. Therefore if teachers find the working conditions unsuitable the option is to take their employer to the labour court, to resign or lobby for better working conditions or find other jobs that suit their whims rather than looking for a soft spot to victimise children.

At one school, in Mufakose, a teacher allegedly created two groupings in a class between those who paid his fees and those who did not pay and paid special attention to those greasing his palms. A good number of schools around Harare mostly in high-density suburbs have intensified this practice.

Many parents have expressed their displeasure over this practice. In 2007, a respectable educationist, Mr Jigu Katsande, from Women University in Africa wrote in The Herald weighing the pros and cons of this practice and the outcome was that demerits outweigh the advantages.

For example pupils in Grade 1 to 5 cannot cope with the load of the whole day but are made to stay for extra lessons. The children get tired and do not benefit from the extra lessons.

We cannot pretend to fight corruption in one sector, while sanction it the other way. What type of policy is this? The defence and police forces have over the years complained about poor working conditions and remuneration hence we have never as a nation sanctioned corruption as an incentive to keep them working for the nation. We have condemned it right away.

Imagine that these tutorials are levied per child as young as Grade 1. Does his/her mind sincerely have to be burdened with loads of work at such a tender age?

But we see them going up to 4pm in class. Can the minds of these toddlers still be able to grasp or it’s sheer greed and a waste of resources and energy. In most cases, parents help their children through the night to do the homework they are given at school.

Laterally, government policy states that no civil servant shall engage in other business without declaring to his superiors yet is done on the school premises. There is no evidence of teachers paying rent for using the school resources?

There is no difference to the scenario with the rebels who capture women and children to force government to submit to their demands. During the liberation of these country we, never saw such a practice where guerrillas captured white women and children to force the Smith regime to submit, that the war was fair, those who lost gave up.

Under the UN, Convention of the rights of a child, Article 28, states that it is the right of every child to go to school. But what are we saying to parents who cannot afford paying school fees, yet alone the extra lesson fees? What about orphans? This is another form of denial, in a discriminatory system against children well calculated and administered under the eye of a Minister in a Zimbabwean Government.

In vein this is not what the people fought for- education for all hence discriminatory system are creeping into the fore.

As we look into the future of our children, this practice will eventually create foes and the Berlin wall between parents and teachers.

Newsday

By Veneranda Langa

12 March 2011

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, minister David Coltart has warned war veterans to desist from entertaining the idea of invading classrooms to teach history because they would face the wrath of the law.

Coltart told Parliament during the question-and-answer session in the House of Assembly that the Education ministry should be the least politicised ministry in the government and war veterans should not try to disturb the quality of the education system in the country by pretending to be teachers.

He was responding to a question raised by Mazowe Central MP Shepherd Mushonga who sought clarification from the minister over government policy regarding reports that war veterans were being prepared to teach history at schools.

“What is government policy with regards to the current training of the youth brigade members at rural primary and secondary schools and also the teaching by war veterans of war history at primary schools, which is being conducted in Mashonaland Central, particularly in Mazowe Central?” asked Mushonga. “I have a letter which was written by youth officers to the headmaster of Kakora Primary School to the effect that the training is starting this week.”

Coltart said contrary to plans by war veterans, the policy of his ministry was that only qualified teachers and those accepted by the Public Service Commission were entitled to be at school premises to teach children.

“If there are any instances where people are not qualified — are not accepted as teachers in terms of our Education Act — action will be taken against those people. Regarding the issue of reports of war veterans teaching history in schools, the same applies that only teachers who are qualified to teach any subject should teach, and I have made my position very clear in this regard,” said Coltart.

He said if schools were to be turned into partisan institutions, the future of the children of Zimbabwe would be destroyed.

“There should be no partisan, political activities that take place in any of our schools. That is also the teaching by war veterans of war history at primary schools, which is being conducted in Mashonaland Central, particularly in Mazowe Central?” asked Mushonga.

“I have a letter which was written by youth officers to the headmaster of Kakora Primary School to the effect that the training is starting this week.”

Coltart said contrary to the plans by the war veterans the policy of his ministry was that only qualified teachers and those accepted by the Public Service Commission were entitled to be at school premises to teach children.

“If there are any instances where people are not qualified — are not accepted as teachers in terms of our Education Act — action will be taken against those people. Regarding the issue of reports of war veterans teaching history in schools, the same applies that only teachers who are qualified to teach any subject should teach, and I have made my position very clear in this regard,” said Coltart.

He said if schools were to be turned into partisan institutions, the future of the children of Zimbabwe would be destroyed.

“There should be no partisan, political activities that take place in any of our schools. That is why I have announced on several occasions that no schools should be used anywhere for partisan political activities,” said Coltart.

He said there had been alarming reports and statistics produced last year involving the intimidation of teachers, which resulted in the reduction of qualified teachers in rural schools because they had ubsequently asked to be transferred to other areas.

Coltart told MPs that this had resulted in a drop in the number of teachers, as well as a drop in the pass rates for Grade 7 examinations at those schools.

He said MPs should ensure schools were politics-free zones, where there was no intimidation.

The Independent UK

By Daniel Howden, Africa Correspondent

Saturday, 12 March 2011

Zimbabwe’s fragile power-sharing government was on the brink of collapse yesterday with both sides claiming irreconcilable differences and foreign diplomats warning of a spike in political violence.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said the government is “dysfunctional” and called this week for a “divorce” from President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party.

Although Mr Tsvangirai stressed yesterday that he had not yet quit the government, the outburst from the leader of the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) came at the end of a week in which the party lost control of parliament and a cabinet minister and close ally of Mr Tsvangirai was arrested without explanation. The fresh crisis was accompanied by a statement of concern from Western diplomats at what they called the “increasing evidence in recent weeks of what appears to be politically motivated intimidation and violence”.

The upsurge in violence and the use of the police and courts to harass political opponents has led analysts to question whether Mr Mugabe is preparing to call a snap election in the troubled southern African nation. After two years of supposed power-sharing, there is widespread frustration in Zimbabwe at the ageing President’s continued control over all meaningful levers of power in the country. The US recently renewed targeted sanctions against some 100 individuals who make up the 87-year-old’s inner circle and still have authority over the security services, the judiciary and much of the economy.

This week, Mr Mugabe’s party succeeded in using the Supreme Court to remove MDC rival Lovemore Moyo as Speaker of Parliament. Allies of the Energy Minister Elton Mangoma, another MDC MP who was arrested on unspecified charges, said the police action was a reprisal by Mugabe allies angry at losing kickbacks from state-sponsored fuel purchases.

Education Minister David Coltart, formerly one of Mr Tsvangirai’s defence lawyers during his marathon treason trials, said he was “outraged” by the arrest of his colleague and blamed it on Mugabe hardliners determined to wreck the unity government.

Mr Tsvangirai, who has been criticised for agreeing to share power despite years of state-sponsored arrests, beatings and murders that he and his supporters endured, called on regional governments to agree a “clear road map” to a new election in Zimbabwe.

Under the power-sharing deal negotiated by neighbour South Africa, Zimbabwe was meant to have agreed a new constitution and enacted a raft of reforms to guarantee free and fair elections. But civil society groups say the consultation process for the constitution has been wrecked by violent intimidation by the same gangs of thugs that Mr Mugabe unleashed in the build-up to the last election in 2008.

After 31 years in power, the former schoolteacher has responded to the popular uprisings which toppled fellow despots in North Africa by clamping down harder on signs of dissent. Students were arrested in the capital Harare last month for gathering to watch events in Egypt on a television set. Rallies with gangs of state-sponsored Zanu-PF youth have been hastily organised and peaceful demonstrations intended to mark International Women’s Day were violently broken up. Previously protests by trade unionists were stopped by police despite having the required permits.

The coalition partners have also clashed over controversial plans to nationalise mines and acquire a majority stake in foreign companies with the MDC warning this would stop outside investment and derail economic recovery.

Newsday

11 March 2011

Following the success of Bulawayo-based Liyana Band in a documentary titled Music by Prudence that won an Oscar last year, the group has come up with a longer version of the award-winning film titled iThemba.

The latest documentary premiered at Prince Edward School this week through support from the US Embassy.

iThemba, which means “hope” in isiNdebele, has been shown in other countries and this is its first time to be screened in Zimbabwe.

The film follows the lives, dreams and hard work of Liyana, a band from the King George VI School for the Disabled in Bulawayo.

Liyana’s eight members have various handicaps, yet live independently and have won devoted audiences from rural Zimbabwe to Hollywood.

iThemba was shot during the 2008 presidential election when the country’s economy was undergoing a dramatic meltdown.

It unfolds against the backdrop of political tensions and the daily struggle to find a bank with cash on hand to buy food in stores with empty shelves, and to navigate streets pockmarked with wheelchair-mangling potholes.

Far from being another demoralising documentary about Africa, iThemba is an unexpected, funny and poignant narrative about eight compelling young people who refuse to succumb to the stigma of disability or the collapse of their country.

Their musical passion and fierce determination eventually took them on a dream tour to the United States.

Over 250 students, filmmakers, NGO leaders, senior government officials and disabled persons attended the colourful premier.

Speaking at the premier, US Ambassador Charles Ray said there was need to work towards overcoming negative stereotypes and misinformation usually associated with the disabled.

“Zimbabwe faces many of the same challenges in overcoming prejudice about disabilities that we faced and still face in America. The need to overcome negative stereotypes and misinformation is an ongoing struggle. But there is hope and action occurring here in Zimbabwe,” said Ambassador Ray.

According to recent research, more than one million Zimbabweans have some type of disability and the loss to Zimbabwe’s economy through their under-employment and unemployment is nearly $200 million dollars annually.

“These are large numbers. They show that helping people with disabilities through fair and equal treatment is good for all Zimbabweans,” said the US ambassador who also hailed the young musicians in Liyana, noting that “the vibrant, dynamic young musicians of Liyana inspire me by their passion and skill as musicians”.

“They inspire me as they have leapt over barriers, and broken down walls with their determination and passion.”

Commenting on the documentary, education minister David Coltart said the film made him feel “uplifted”.

“Liyana (band members) are not just great ambassadors for Zimbabwe. This film is very appropriately named, iThemba, it speaks of hope. This band and its members are preachers of hope not just for communities and individuals, but for our nation and other disabled people throughout the world,” said minister Coltart.

Co-director of the documentary Elinor Burkett, a former Fulbright professor who taught at the National University for Science and Technology in 2006, hailed the King George VI and Jairos Jiri schools which provide facilities for disabled students to explore their potential.

“You give young people the chance, and you never know how far they will go,” she said. Burkett co-directed the film with Jamaican Erroll Webber.

The Independent UK

By Rob Sharp and Daniel Howden

Friday, 11 March 2011

Every year, the Venice Biennale announces a raft of new countries due to exhibit at the event, the most famous artistic showcase in the world.

Previous years have seen the Vatican, the United Arab Emirates, and even Peckham, make their debuts. Today’s announcement of unlikely debutantes beats them all. It represents an unprecedented detente between two countries whose governments have seldom seen eye to eye.

Zimbabwe, in partnership with the British Council, along with artistic institutions in France and Monaco, is set to exhibit work by four Zimbabwean artists at the biennale from June. It is the first time a sub-Saharan nation has been exhibited, and a rare appearance for an African nation. It is a dramatic coup for the beleaguered nation, where those exhibiting work critical of Robert Mugabe’s regime face extended prison terms.

“We are going to be part of the biennale like any other country,” said the Zimbabwean National Gallery’s Raphael Chikukwa, who will curate the exhibition. “Previously the whole of Africa has been boxed together in a single pavilion. But why isn’t there a European pavilion? Individual European countries are represented. So we have the chance to finally showcase Zimbabwe as a sovereign nation.”

The pavilion will be headlined “Seeing Ourselves” and will occupy part of the Church of Santa Maria Della Pieta in central Venice.

Artists to be represented will be video artist Berry Bickle, sculptor Tapfuma Gutsa, photographer Calvin Dondo and painter Misheck Masamvu. They plan to explore issues such as Zimbabwean emigration, Zimbabwe’s role in the Second World War, and farming rights in Venice. None of their work is critical of the current Zimbabwean government.

Their treatment contrasts starkly with that of artists back home. In Zimbabwe, another artist, Owen Maseko, is facing 20 years in prison for exhibiting paintings critical of Zimbabwe’s president, Robert Mugabe, last year.

Maseko’s paintings examined government-led massacres in western Zimbabwe during the 1980s. It was closed by government officials after one day. Afterwards, Maseko was taken to prison in leg irons and held for four days, during which time he was interrogated in 12-hour stretches.

“There are many contradictions in today’s Zimbabwe and this is one of them,” Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart told The Independent. “There is certainly not clear freedom of expression in Zimbabwe but as I understand that the artists going to Venice are genuine independent artists. We have to use every means we can of interacting with the international community.”

Maseko said he had no objection to the other artists going to Venice but warned that self censorship was holding back Zimbabweans who were living in fear after his arrest.

“Right now the political situation in Zimbabwe is unstable and that would be used artists’ work. But self censorship is an issue. My arrest put a lot of fear into our artists, they are scared.”

Maseko’s exhibition in Bulawayo is still closed and treated as a crime scene. If he should lose his court battle with authorities he said he faces up to 20 years in prison.

SW Radio Africa

By Lance Guma

10 March 2011

Over the years they have become infamous by beating up and harassing opposition supporters, torturing and often killing MDC supporters. Now war vets loyal to Mugabe’s regime say they want to take over schools and offer history lessons on the liberation struggle.

The MDC-T MP for Mazowe Central in Mashonaland Central, Shepherd Mushonga, took the matter to Parliament on Wednesday after receiving a letter of complaint from the headmaster at Kakora Secondary School. War vets had told the headmaster they would visit the school to teach history this week.

Mushonga quizzed Education Minister David Coltart on whether this was the new government policy, to allow war vets to offer lessons to students. In response Coltart said no.

“The political parties should not meddle in education. We should not expose school children to politics as it is against the Education Act. Schools should not be used for politics. I want the MP’s to support me in trying to stop what is now happening,’ Coltart said.

He also expressed concern at the number of teachers requesting transfers because of intimidation and threats from ZANU PF youths mainly in the rural areas. Teachers over the years have traditionally been targeted by Mugabe’s regime and accused of supporting the then opposition MDC.

Coltart is reported to be in the process of revising legislation to put legal measures in place to ban the use of schools for partisan political activity. But Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Secretary General Raymond Majongwe however told SW Radio Africa it was likely the legislation will be blocked by ZANU PF. “It’s only a matter of time before this GNU collapses,” he told us.

For all Coltart’s efforts in crafting legislation to stop ZANU PF mobs invading schools and politicizing the learning environment, Mugabe’s regime has shown it has no respect for any of the laws. It is anticipated the war vets will have their way and invade the schools all the same.