Herald

29 September 2010

By Stephen Mpofu

THE poor in this country probably wonder if the law is such an ass that it bays at them in laughter while they wrestle with challenges that appear intractable.

Gap-mouthed parents ask why for instance, the “law” dozes off while their children are shut out of school for non-payment of fees or punished for delays in paying incentive money for teachers, particularly in rural areas when the “law” ought to know that efforts by villagers to raise both requisite amounts are like attempts to climb Mount Inyangani while blind-folded, hence some pupils there attend school in glorious rags, literally.

Why indeed, ask the less-monied and even the more affluent does the “law” remain ensconced on the fence as children in some schools suffer the brunt of demoralised teachers after money meant as an incentive to bolster their spirits lands in porous hands of some heads who will brook no questioning by subordinates.

All this happens under the very noses of school development associations and of education ministry authorities, the former clearly bereft of any doubt to carpet recalcitrant school heads even though SDAs remain much closer to schools than ministry authorities.

Those misdemeanors apparently rule the roost because there is no law in the statute books to police the schools, as bemoaned recently by Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart.

And this sad scenario in spite of assurance from lofty places in New York City, and repeated here at home, that education is every child’s “inalienable right”.

Now add to the above demand by some mission schools for parents to put down as much as US$800 to secure a high school place for a child with the amount not refundable in the event of the applicant not taking up the place.

The schools in point are obviously driven by Zimdollar syndrome of millions, billions, trillions and quadrillions — the hundreds and thousands having become chicken-feed during that era as bakers who have raised the price of bread and other, breadline products knowing, as they certainly do, that their unilateralism will go unpunished in the absence of any law compelling them to consult with relevant authorities overseeing their industry and agreeing a price increase that does not nip the country’s fledgling economic recovery in the bud.

In the wake of the foregoing, less-advantaged parents must surely be wondering whether they can only access the right to education for their child by paying money.

It is no doubt in light of the prevailing contradictions in our schools that Minister Coltart called for the need for a “law to curb any acts of mal-administration in schools”.

Some people might ask why as Minister of Education, he does not go right ahead and introduce the necessary legislation as he sees fit.

Well, their concerns may be legitimate but they and other stakeholders have a role to play by inputting into the making of a new law in the same way as their input matters a great deal in any policy making process, so that any potential loopholes in the formulation of the law are sealed to prevent possible exploitation by unscrupulous characters.

Contextually, therefore, Minister Coltart set an agenda for people to motivate discussion on the subject, reach their own unanimous conclusion about the kind of law they want to see in place and then send their inputs to the ministry.

Zimbabwe’s education system enjoys a reputation envied by other countries in Africa, and probably even overseas.

Thus, a strong case exists to protect it against those acts that might taint it resulting in people describing the country’s education as “high-quality but . . . ”

The author is a former Editor of the Chronicle.

New Zimbabwe.com

28 September 2010

SPORTS Minister David Coltart has taken to Twitter to give full backing to Zimbabwe Cricket’s unexpected decision to offer Scotland a pass to the final of the International Cricket Council’s Intercontinental Cup.

Scotland faced elimination after pulling out their fixture against a Zimbabwe XI in Harare following intervention by the British government which said: “We are firmly of the view that there has not yet been sufficient progress in Zimbabwe on the fundamental issues of political reform and of re-establishing the rule of law to justify sports tours by British teams and the positive signal that would send. We therefore strongly advise against such visits.”

But Zimbabwe – currently the second best side in the tournament with 72 points, while Scotland is third with 69 points — last week recommended to the ICC that Scotland be awarded full points for the cancelled fixture. The gesture would allow Scotland to leapfrog them and face section leaders Afghanistan in November’s final in Dubai.

Keen cricket fan Coltart said on his Twitter page: “Delighted by Zimbabwe Cricket decision to allow Scotland Cricket to play in the Intercontinental Final instead of them. Cricket 1 Politics 0.”

Explaining Zimbabwe’s decision, Zimbabwe Cricket’s managing director Ozias Bvute said: “The Associate Members countries use this and other competitions to benchmark and track their progress, which progress is important to them. To this end we feel that the I-Cup is a significant competition in Scotland’s development and therefore important that it gets the full benefits associated with playing in it.

“While Scotland’s decision not to tour has been attributed to political considerations, we as Zimbabwe Cricket are not qualified to comment on matters political of any country, nor would we want to base the future of the game of cricket on political directives.

“As such Zimbabwe has no dispute with either Cricket Scotland or the ICC. Instead, we seek only a solution that will ultimately allow for fair participation by all.”

Cricket Scotland has not commented on Zimbabwe’s gesture.

Morning Mirror

28 September 2010

Eveline High School in Bulawayo celebrated its Centenary on Friday 24
September 2010.

The fabled quadrangle was filled to overflowing with students, staff,
guests, and old girls, and there was even a giant birthday cake for
the occasion.

Senator David Coltart Minister of Education was the guest of honour
and we “Old Girls” all had lumps in out throats remembering our own
glorious days at Eveline School so many years ago.

Several of the girls even had the old school Boaters with the maroon
hat band, although the much more practical brown floppy hat has taken
its place. The summer uniform is the same, that beautiful turquoise
blue with that irritating belt … and the blazers were the same
although unnecessary in the boiling hot sun.

The theme was ” Hundred years existence – 1910 to 2010 – celebrating
diversity in the school system” and the school has great plans for
the future.

The girls were beautifully behaved, sitting patiently during the
speeches, songs and dramas, and the Senator broke the ground for the
new IT Centre planned for the school in the next couple of years. The
staff were elegant and professional in their mortar boards and gowns
and the future of the school is in good hands.

Several groups of “Old Girls” and local companies made generous
donations to the Eveline Rehabilitation Project which includes a
giant recreation and conference centre on the playing fields over the
road from Langdon House, where we once used to hold our sports days.
I can even remember some of the names of the houses. Ours was
Gladstone, then there was Buxton, Langdon, Northwood, Mackintosh,
oops can anyone help me out ? There were 8 in all if I remember.

Milton High had its centenary too this week, a whole week of
festivities which I gather were enormously successful. However, we
Eveline Girls, as was always the case in the past, were far more
ladylike in our celebrations!!

The old memories may have gone but we Eveline Girls still do our best
to remain “Upright and True”…

I have posted some anniversary photos on the Morning Mirror website
www.morningmirror.africanherd.com/

Newsday

By Fortune Moyo

28 September 2010

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has given the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture the green light to hire 19 732 temporary teachers this term following a Cabinet decision to that effect last week.

Earlier last month the PSC had ordered the ministry to stop hiring temporary teachers arguing that the prerogative was squarely on their shoulders while Treasury stopped all line ministries from recruiting.

At the beginning of this term, the government cancelled contracts for unqualified teachers, who make up the bulk of the staff complement in rural schools.

Public Service minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro told NewsDay in an interview that his ministry has since rescinded its initial position not to re-engage temporary teachers this term, pending communication from Treasury.

“At the end of each term, we actually do a survey and we know how many teachers are engaged in schools,” he said.

“We then write a letter to the Ministry of Education to that effect. We have since written to minister (David) Coltart so that he can engage 19 732 temporary teachers this term.”

Mukonoweshuro said the PSC received Treasury permission to re-engage temporary teachers.

“We got Treasury concurrence that temporary teachers should report for duty this term and we have also told the relevant ministry,” he said.

“There is no reason why some schools are still telling temporary teachers not to report for duty.”

The minister also reiterated that teachers in the service before were free to return to their jobs.

“Qualified teachers who were in the service but left the profession at the peak of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis were still free to return to their jobs and since they have appropriate qualifications, they are likely to get preference ahead of temporary teachers,” he said.

Contracts for temporary teachers expire at the end of each term and are renewed at the provincial education office at the beginning of each term.

But with the earlier directive from the Ministry of Finance, the teachers could not resume duties because their status had not been regularised.

Zimbabwe needs 120 000 teachers when the sector is operating at full throttle and, according to the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association, there are currently 90 000 teachers, with the bulk being temporary staff.

Standard

By Nqaba Matshazi

Sunday, 26 September 2010

MDC-M and the revived Zapu are engaged in behind-the-scenes talks in the hope of coming up with a coalition leading up to elections, which are likely to be held next year, a high-level source revealed last week.

On the other hand the source ruled out unity with the faction led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as being virtually a “non-starter”.

“There are people from both sides who are pushing for talks, although there is nothing substantive at the moment,” the source said.

Tsvangirai has already held out at an olive branch to the formation led by his deputy, Arthur Mutambara, but that was rebuffed by Welshman Ncube, the secretary-general. Ncube has labelled Tsvangirai’s overture insincere, saying he should go beyond just uttering public statements, without offering much in terms of action.

“The current position is that attempts have been made towards the signing of a reunification pact but Tsvangirai’s MDC rejected that,” he said recently. “As far as we are concerned, this is where we are.”

The source, a senior official in Mutambara’s camp, said they felt hard done by MDC-T and prospects of reunification were close to nil.

This contradicts statements made by MDC-M secretary for legal affairs David Coltart, who said he regretted the split and hoped that talks on reunifying the two formations would commence.

“There is a chance that we might work with Zapu, but anything else is highly unlikely,” the source added.

Zapu spokesperson, Methuseli Moyo said there was sentiment within the two parties to come up with a working arrangement but there was nothing official.

“There is sentiment from both sides to come up with a working arrangement, but there is nothing formal and the issue has not been discussed at leadership level,” he said.

Moyo said the issue was that no one had initiated talks between the two parties, but it was a proposition that they were willing to look at.

MDC-M spokesman, Edwin Mushoriwa, however denied that there was anything of that sort, saying he was not aware of any talks.

“Actually this is the first time I am hearing about this,” he said. “It is something that has certainly not been discussed.”

His deputy, Nhlanhla Dube also concurred saying there were no discussions at any level.

Despite the denials reports of the two parties merging have refused to die down.

Earlier this year it was reported that the two parties were on the verge of forming a coalition, but this did not materialise.

Sunday News

26 September 2010

Sunday News Reporter

POOR infrastructure is affecting academic performance at rural primary schools with some of them struggling to produce a single pupil who records passes in Grade Seven examinations.
In an interview with the Sunday News, the headmistress of Lake Alice Primary School in Lupane District, Mrs Sibongile Songolo, said her school had been recording zero percent a pass rate until 2007, when a non-governmental organisation intervened and helped them improve their infrastructure.
“As from 2007, when we started working with World Vision to improve our infrastructure, our school results have improved. In 2007, it jumped from zero percent, in the previous years, to 14 percent. In 2008, we recorded 33 percent but in 2009 dipped again to 6 percent. The decrease was mainly caused by the shortage of human resources. We had only four teachers in the whole school,” she said.
Mrs Songolo was speaking on the sidelines of the official opening of two blocks of classes that the community built with assistance from the non-governmental organisation, World Vision.
Mrs Songolo said, as a school, they were now better placed to achieve good results.
“For years, the Lake Alice community has struggled to come up with structures for pupils and teachers without any success. However, I think throughout the entire process of building these classes the attitude of the community towards education changed.
“At the beginning, parents seemed be not interested as if they were doing the school a favour. But later, they worked hard to bring water, sand and build these two blocks and rehabilitated the rest. It dawned on them that schools belong to communities and parents and not the teachers,” she said.
Mrs Songolo said the school had nine teachers and an enrolment of 360 pupils.
“We are now better positioned to do well. World Vision provided us with furniture, 160 chairs and 80 desks for the infants and 90 desks for the seniors. They also gave us furniture for teachers and exercise books.
“This kind gesture contributes tremendously in helping the school provide education in this community,” she said.
The NGO also gave the school swings and see-saws to make a play centre.
“They also gave us 20 copies of English and Mathematics textbooks for Grade 3s up to Grade 7s. They also helped us develop an orchard where we have 63 trees surviving,” Mrs Songolo said.
The headmistress said the school still faced a number of challenges that included absenteeism.
“Pupils absent themselves unnecessarily, we are also facing economic hardships and as a result parents fail to provide children with stationery, we also have the shortage of textbooks which is a drawback as they are the backbone of primary school education,” she said.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Provincial Education director, Mrs Boitathelo Mnguni, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, said his ministry could not resource schools without the help of NGOs and the communities.
“My ministry alone will not be able to resource adequately all our schools, more so that we are coming from a very difficult economic period. “It is the involvement of all stakeholders in a multi-faceted and multi-sectorial approach that will be able to address many challenges the education sector is facing today,” he said.
The minister said there was a need to work as a united front to make meaningful strides in education. “The education sector has indeed a mountain to climb. Together as a united force we shall be able to revitalise the sector,” he said.
Speaking at the ceremony, the national director of world Vision, Mr Edward Brown, said it was his organisation’s aim that children should be educated for life.
“In addition to this school, World Vision also supported 18 other primary and secondary schools in Lupane in the areas of water and sanitation, infrastructural development, textbook support and in the area of science education,” he said.
He said the investment at Lake Alice Primary School was made possible by the kind funding from World Vision Canada to the tune of US$53 000.
The operations manager for the Matabeleland region, Mr Khumbulani Ndlovu, said it was important for parents to realise that the school belonged to them.
“It is important for parents to take responsibility and nothing will ever move if there is no money and there are no contributions by parents. There is no way we can run away from the money issue,” he said.
The World Vision official in Lupane district, Mr Mandlenkosi Masango, said there was a need to strengthen school development committees (SDCs).
“In some schools that we work with there is a gap in terms of SDCs. SDCs are not sure of what they are supposed to do. We have budgeted for the training of SDCs so that they catch up.
“In terms of money, what is surprising is that most communities always say they don’t have money. What is surprising also is that if someone dies that person is speedily buried. Communities’ attitude must change. In Matabeleland we have a problem of attitude. In some areas when they talk about school, people stand up, they compete to assist,” he said.

The Irish Times

By Bill Corcoran

24 September 2010

HARARE LETTER: Ireland’s experience as a divided country played a role in convincing its cricketers to travel to Zimbabwe

IT WAS bound to happen, I suppose, given all the hoopla around whether the Irish cricket team would be safe and secure after they took the decision to proceed with their tour of Zimbabwe, which is taking place here at the moment.

Two months back, when Cricket Ireland (CI) sought assurances from the Zimbabwean authorities about the national team’s security if it toured the troubled African country, the team’s concerns were addressed satisfactorily by the country’s sports minister, David Coltart.

But before a ball was bowled at the Harare Sports Club in the capital last Monday, the venue for the four-day Intercontinental Cup game and three One-Day Internationals, some of the touring party were fleeced of personal items, including a laptop and a phone.

The culprits were in the bagging handling transit area in Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, however, rather than in Zimbabwe.

It appears no one told the Irish lads the airport baggage area at Johannesburg airport, where they were in transit on the way to Harare, has been known as a gangsters’ paradise for years, such is the extent of baggage theft there.

Sixteen bags were gone through and relieved of various items, and one bag remains missing in action. You couldn’t have scripted a better turn of events if you were a Zimbabwean disgruntled at the suggestion that travelling teams are not secure in their country.

Despite the incident, the Irish team seemed undeterred during the early part of this week’s four-day test, as they got off to a decent start, racking up a score of 136 runs for three by the end of the first day of the encounter. It’s just a pity they couldn’t keep it up.

Talking to Derry-born Roy Torrens, Cricket Ireland’s team manager, before the start of the second day, one got the distinct impression the team was more than happy to be in the country, and that they wanted to leave politics to the politicians.

Our own experience as a divided country played no small part in convincing the team to ignore the nay-sayers and travel to Zimbabwe.

Well, that and desire to put some distance between the two countries in the ICC ODI rankings, where they are currently neck and neck, in 10th and 11th place.

“We in Ireland have had our own troubles, and during that time we spent years of trying to return to normality and encourage countries to come and visit us. So to that end it made our job a lot easier when making the decision to come here,” Torrens said when asked if our past had any influence over the decision to come.

“If by being here we can contribute towards the creation of a state of normality, then our visit will have been worthwhile.”

One might have expected the tour to have generated some publicity in Harare, given it was a bit of a PR coup for the Zimbabweans. Mugabe and his people are usually adept at taking advantage of every little break that comes their way.

But from the locals on the street to the independent newspapers and state-run broadcasters, there has been little interest in the Irish presence, save for straightforward match reporting after each day of play.

The test arena was almost deserted during the opening innings of the four-day match, bar the odd Irish or British expatriate and local enthusiast watching the game while supping beer at the Harare Cricket Club bar. But apparently that is the norm when it comes to four-day cricket matches.

I did run into an Irishman, Desmond Lawlor, who said members of Zimbabwe’s Irish community were saving themselves for next week’s one-day internationals, when they would come out and support the team in force.

Despite all that’s happened in Zimbabwe over the past 10 years a sizeable Irish community is still scattered around the country, the vast majority of whom are in their senior years.

Des, who is a sprightly 82, says the one-day tests will be used as an excuse to get the Irish together for a few drinks and a laugh; happy times remain hard to come by for many whites in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. The majority of the population are living a type of limbo existence, waiting to hear whether elections proposed for next year – and the violence that has accompanied previous polls – will take place.

So next week’s matches between Ireland and Zimbabwe may well prove to be a pleasant distraction from these more serious issues, but probably only for a short time.

Chronicle

24 September 2010

By Chronicle Correspondent

Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) yesterday donated textbooks and 600 chairs worth more than US$100 000 to Portland Primary, Colleen Bawn Primary and High schools.
Portland Primary received 129 chairs while Colleen Bawn Primary received 248 chairs and 215 chairs were handed over to Colleen Bawn High School.
Handing over the textbooks and chairs at a ceremony at Colleen Bawn High School in Gwanda, the PPC Zimbabwe chairman, Mr Harley Dent, said the company was showing commitment to the communities it operated in by donating much needed furniture to schools surrounding their operations in Zimbabwe.
“PPC believes that the various donations made to these schools will not only enhance the school environment for learners but also for educators. In the long run we aim to inspire and motivate students to work hard and produce results that enable them to further their studies at tertiary level,” said Mr Harley.
He said the donation was part of PPC’s corporate social investment programme and the company had over the past 18 months invested about R700 000 in various projects around Zimbabwe.
Mr Harley said by continuing to invest in such a responsible way, PPC sought to contribute towards thriving and sustainable communities.
The company has previously donated stationery and textbooks so that learners at these schools would be able to attend class in fully equipped classrooms.
“Our commitment to helping the communities in the areas that we operate in is an alignment to our real philosophy. This philosophy looks at supporting projects that are relevant to the community, empower the people and are lasting. The focus is on sustainability,” he added.
The company is dedicated to investing in schools in a holistic manner so that a conducive learning environment is established and maintained, he added.
Mr Harley said that empowering children in education meant the empowerment of the nation as a whole.
PPC is the biggest cement producer in Southern Africa with seven cement plants in South Africa, one in Botswana and another in Zimbabwe.
Among the dignitaries who attended the hand- over ceremony was the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, and Matabeleland South Provincial Governor, Angeline Masuku.

Newsday

By Fortune Moyo

23 September 2010

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart is engaged in talks with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Finance ministry over the renewal of contracts for temporary teachers countrywide.

It is almost a month into the third term and most temporary teachers had their contracts terminated at the end of last term, putting enormous pressure on the education sector.

Coltart told NewsDay on Wednesday his ministry has not changed its position on temporary teachers and said he is engaging the PSC and Finance minister Tendai Biti on the way forward.

“The position of the ministry is clear and it has not changed: we need to have contracts of temporary teachers extended and they should be included in the salaries bill, as they would have given a service,” he said.

Coltart said he was still awaiting a response from Biti.

“I am currently engaged in talks with the PSC and Biti on the issue of the renewal of their contracts and their remuneration. I am waiting for a response from the two departments before the end of this week,” Coltart said.

He said the freeze on recruitment of temporary teachers by the PSC had caused problems at most schools, as some temporary teachers had not returned to work.

“I made a statement sometime back ordering temporary teachers to return to work and I am aware that some teachers did return to work.

However, I have received reports from some schools that temporary teachers who were there last term have not reported for duty and that has affected lessons.”

Zimbabwe Guardian

By Sihle Dube

23 September 2010

While I commend the efforts by the Educational Transition Fund (ETF) and/or Enterprise Zimbabwe in giving millions of textbooks to Zimbabwe, I would like to know whether those books are in line with the curriculum in Zimbabwe and whether they are aiding the development of an indigenous education system for Zimbabwe; or merely perpetuating a Western-style education system.

Mr Branson recently revealed that his charity Enterprise Zimbabwe helped Minister David Coltart take millions of textbooks into Zimbabwe.

We were not aware that it was Mr Branson’s charity, which was launched a year ago, but also recently relaunched on the sidelines of the ongoing UN Summit on Millenium Development Goals under the Clinton Global Initiative.

While I would like to express my gratitude to Mr Branson, however, worry that much of the help that is afforded to the country might not be aligned to our needs and aspirations.

We need to make sure that donations are aligned with the aspirations of our people; not aimed at “McDonaldisation” of our country; i.e. the perpetuation of a different culture apart from ours.

South East Asian countries like Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, etc have embraced donations, but have made sure they are aligned with their own culture: as expressed through symbols understood by young Asian people.

While I commend the efforts by the Educational Transition Fund (ETF) and/or Enterprise Zimbabwe in giving millions of textbooks to Zimbabwe, I would like to know whether those books are in line with the curriculum in Zimbabwe and whether they are aiding the development of an indigenous education system for Zimbabwe; or merely perpetuating a Western-style education system.

I understand and appreciate that 20 per cent of the textbooks are being printed in Zimbabwe; but that does not say anything about the content of those books and 20 per cent is still a very small percentage. We should have over 90 per cent local production of education materials.

Countries like the US and Britain have 100 per cent local content in their texts.

Dumping of textbooks will not help local bookstores and publishers. We should align the content of those textbooks with our own needs — languages, customs and practices.

Zimbabwe overtook Tunisia this year as the country with the highest literacy rate in Africa, according to the UN Development Programme statistical digest published in July 2010.

The country now has a 92 percent literacy rate, up from 85 percent.

This is commendable, but this statistic is does not say much about what we are literate in. It is not just literacy that matters, but an understanding of our own history and ability to use acquired knowledge to become responsible citizens and develop our country.

This is only possible if the symbols and the messages in those textbooks enhances our national pride; and not denigrate our own culture and customs.

As someone who went to school in Zimbabwe in the 1970s-80s, I am very much aware of the absence of African symbols in textbooks and the focus on Europe, especially Britain in national curricula.

I sure hope that this is now not the case.

Most of the books that we read had faces of people from Europe and other parts of this world. The subliminal message in these books was the glorification of everything Western at the expense of our own images.

Comment from Senator David Coltart:

I need to reassure readers that every single one of the 13 million textbooks are Zimbabwean. They have all been produced by Zimbabwean educationalists, approved by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Education’s Curriculum Development Unit, published by  Zimbabwean publishing houses and printed 100% in Africa (20% in Zimbabwe and 80%% in South Africa). So Ms Dube has no need to fear.