Herald

10 June 2010

By Takudzwa Chitsiga

Harare — MARTIN RAPHAEL RATEIWA is the new president of the Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association.

He was ushered into the post at the ZPGA annual meeting at Nomads.

Rateiwa was unopposed, showing the magnitude of the support and confidence that the constituency had in his leadership, and he will replace Obed Dube.

Dube is now a member of the Sports Commission board.

“I’m looking forward to working well with all the stakeholders and overseeing a new era in golf administration,” said Rateiwa “I’m happy with the confidence that everyone has shown in me.”

The ZPGA patron, David Coltart, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, couldn’t attend the annual meeting because of other commitments.

Angus Mackenzie and Aiden Mhere will be the vice-presidents on a two-year term.

Joe Sithole is the secretary/treasurer.

Manicaland province will have Fred Chatora as its president with Daniel Chimeda leading Matabeleland.

The two vice-presidents — Angus Ma-ckenzie and Aiden Mhere — will represent Harare and Midlands respectively.

The selection criteria of juniors who will represent the country in the Zone Six and the All-Africa golf championships was also discussed.

Royal Harare will host the Zimbabwe Amateur.

The ZPGA also discussed the bid to host the 2012 All-Africa Golf Championships where the country will likely battle Ivory Coast for the right to stage the tournament.

Swaziland will host the 2012 edition of the tournament.

Herald

10 June 2010

By Eddie Chikamhi

ZIMBABWE’S dream run in the Micromax Cup came to an end yesterday when they crashed to a nine-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in the final of this Tri-Series tournament at Harare Sports Club.

Pre-match analysis of this final from experts had centred on the significance of winning the toss with the team that wins virtually guaranteed of victory.

And, as what has been the case in the matches in the series at Harare Sports Club, the big blow was dealt when Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura lost the toss.

As expected, Tillekeratne Dilshan sent Zimbabwe in to bat and, as expected, it was an uphill task for the hosts.

The Harare Sports Club wicket has been kind to the fielding team in the morning, offering assistance to both the seamers and the spinners and this was again the case yesterday.

Hamilton Masakadza, one of the key players in Zimba-bwe’s good run to the final, only scored four runs, his partner Brendan Taylor — the best batsman for the hosts in the series — appeared set for another big score but then fell to a stunning catch.

In the end, it was Tatenda Taibu who stood alone among the ruins and his superb effort, good enough to have contributed to a victory on another day, was an innings in a failed cause.

A masterly century from the tourists’ stand-in captain Tillekeratne Dilshan sealed the hosts’ fate after Zimbabwe put on a subdued batting performance earlier in the day.

Zimbabwe struggled to put runs on the board as they crashed to 199 all out in 49 overs.

Sri Lanka played with much intent and great sense of purpose and deserved the victory that made up for the eight-wicket defeat they suffered at the hands of Zimbabwe on Monday.

The victory earned them the winners’ trophy that was presented by the Minister of Education and Sports David Coltart and Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe.

Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura said he was not pleased by the result but praised the team for their commitment in the series.

“Sri Lanka bowled well and we just needed to apply ourselves. We had played some good cricket throughout the series and I think we have to reflect more on the tournament as a whole than to concentrate on today’s result alone,” said Chigumbura.

Opening batsman Taylor, who scooped the man-of-the- match award three times during the tournament, was rewarded with the man-of-the-series award sponsored by Royal Stag to the tune of US$3 000.

Taylor had been enjoying splendid form during the tournament, which saw him finishing as the second highest run scorer behind Dilshan.

“It’s very satisfying to get where we are. Unfortunately, we didn’t back it up in the final but we are pleased with how we have gone about it.

“Not just myself but others have done well. I am probably more relaxed in this series. Opening is new to me. I haven’t done it for a while. It’s nice to play with a good bunch of people,” said Taylor.

But Zimbabwe found the going tough from the start yesterday losing opener Masakadza for four runs in the fifth over, with only a paltry 11 runs to the team’s credit as the batsmen struggled with the Sri Lanka bowling led by Nuwan Kulasekera and Dilhara Fernando.

It was also a disappointing day for Taylor who could only manage 19 runs from 22 deliveries before he was caught by Thilan Samaraweera from a Fernando delivery, to leave Zimbabwe reeling with only 29 runs on the scoreboard.

The Zimbabwe batsmen just could not find their way and had to consume 166 balls to reach the 100 mark.

Former captain Taibu, who came in at number three, made a significant contribution with 71 runs and helped Zimbabwe lift their score from 49 to 139 in a key fourth wicket partnership with Greg Lamb (37).

The partnership hauled 90 runs before Taibu was caught at point by Chamara Kapugedera off the bowling of Fernando.

Zimbabwe lost wickets regularly from then on and the dismissal of Charles Coventry in the 43rd over ended any hopes of Zimbabwe scoring a respectable total past the 200 mark with a weak tail still to bat.

Chris Mpofu was the last man to go when he was run out as Zimbabwe tottered to 199 all out in 49 overs.

But there will be plenty of questions about Zimbabwe’s tacticsm especially their decision not to take the batting powerplay when Chigumbura, and then Coventry, came in to bat.

Fernando was the pick of the Sri Lankans with three wickets for 36 runs in nine overs while Jeevan Mendis and Ajantha Mendis had two wickets apiece.

The Asians did not have to shed too much sweat in chase of the target as they raced to 203 for the loss of one wicket.

The only wicket to fall was that of Upul Tharanga who was dismissed in the 26th over when he was run out.

But the damage had already been done as they had plundered 160 runs for the first wicket with Dilshan, who was voted man of the match, leading from the front.

The Sri Lanka skipper punished the Zimbabwe bowlers in an innings that yielded an unbeaten 108 runs from the 102 balls he faced.

Dinesh Chandimal was unbeaten at 16.

Herald

10 June 2010

By Ellina Mhlanga

ZIMBABWE and Germany have signed a Memo-randum of Understanding for the development of the country’s football as part of the European nation’s support for sport here.

The pact was signed between the Germany Embassy here in Harare and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart and the German Embassy’s first secretary Matthias Schuhmacher signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

This will see Zimbabwe engaging a Germany coach Klaus-Dieter Pagels to help in its football development programmes.

Pagels will come to Zimbabwe in August for a period of two years and will provide technical expertise in youth football where he will be instrumental in the development of an all-year youth league ranging from Under-11 to Under-19 age groups.

He will work with women’s football with a lot of emphasis placed on the promotion and inspiration of school girl soccer through tournaments at their level.

Pagels will also assist in the development of Five-A-Side football and the training and development of coaches and referees.

The Germany coach will also be involved in administration of the sport.

Coltart said there was a big need to invest in sport as it plays a vital role in the development of the country’s economy.

“My ministry is concerned with the development of sport and realises the need to equip the sector so as to make it realise its potential as a source of economic development,” said Coltart.

He said sport, especially football, needs support through the availing of technical expertise besides the usual financial assistance tranches.

“Sport, especially soccer, needs to be resourced not only through the injection of finances, but through the availing of technical expertise to increase its developmental programmes and its reach to the grassroots in our society.

“The future and sustainability of soccer can only be in developing a strong developmental, broad based, inclusive youth policy.

“Without a foundation for soccer the nation is least likely to see its teams taking part in future world, continental and regional tournaments.

“It is in the pursuance of the above that the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has decided to partner with the Federal Republic of Germany through the GTZ to partner and develop both the in-school and out-of-school football in Zimbabwe.

“GTZ has undertaken to provide technical expertise in the person of a football expert seconded to Zifa’s Soccer Development Department from the German Football Association,” said Coltart.

Zifa were commissioned by the ministry to work hand-in-hand with the Department of International Relations of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Frankfurt/Main.

“Further, it is imperative on me to clarify that this expert does not come to MoESAC and Zifa as a coach for the national team. His role is to oversee the development of the sport from grassroots level.

“Zifa should not derail these sport development efforts at any time as it is in the interest of the future of soccer that they see to it that the efforts succeed,” added Coltart.

Zifa board member in charge of competition, Benedict Moyo, applauded the government for its support.

“We want to thank the government for according us a second chance to have a dance with the German technical assistance,

“That is what we were looking for because when we came into office we knew that we were going to be judged by the performance of national teams.

“With our financial status engaging a foreign coach was always going to be difficult but now we have a Germany coach coming and he is not coming as a national coach but he is coming to assist all coaches, all age groups from the juniors to the seniors,” said Moyo.

Moyo said there was going to be a link now from the junior to the senior level.

“Now there is going to be no age cheating because we will now have a to monitor all that.

“He will also be involved in talent identification and come up with necessary developmental structures and once he does that our soccer will go up.

“We want to develop our own culture of football,” said Moyo.

Women’s football chairperson Mavis Gumbo said the move was a major boost to women’s football that has over the past years struggled to come up with sustainable developmental structures.

“I am so excited and this is something good for the girl child. It is a very big boost to women football.

“It just came at the right time and is going to help us a lot because we are restructuring from zonal level,” said Gumbo.

Herald

7 June 2010

Harare — PROSPECTIVE candidates for the November 2010 Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations will be required to pay a late registration fee of US$5 per subject, the Government has announced adding there would be no extension to the May 28 deadline.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart and the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council on Friday issued statements dismissing reports that there was confusion surrounding the registration deadline.

Minister Coltart said needy pupils under Beam were the “only” ones to get Government assistance while those who failed to register by the stipulated date would be required to pay an extra US$5 per subject as penalty for late registration.

“There is no confusion at all and we have not extended anything. The position is the deadline expired on May 28 and we are sticking to that.

“Only students already under Beam would benefit from the State, not everyone. If students are not under the programme they should pay US$5 penalty fee per subject. For efficiency purposes we cannot always continue extending registration each year and that is the reason why we gave parents a lengthy period to look for fees,” he said.

Minister Coltart said the state of the economy meant parents should strive to educate their children.

“Because of a tight fiscal squeeze, Government can only pay for orphans and other vulnerable students. Parents should devise methods to ensure their children write examinations,” he said.

Minister Coltart said the Government was doing enough by subsidising the students’ registration fees compared to Cambridge examinations.

Ordinary and Advanced Level pupils are required to pay US$10 and US$20 per subject respectively.

Zimsec public relations manager Mr Ezekiel Pasipamire added: “There is no deadline extension but there is a normal facility always afforded to candidates registering for the November examinations.

“Students must register through the late entry registration process whereby they have to pay a penalty fee.

“As far as Zimsec is concerned, there is no confusion with regard to the registration process as centres, parents, guardians and candidates were fully aware of the registration deadline.”

Mr Pasipamire said the examination body was still studying the registration levels and would soon announce the total number of registered candidates.

Last year, thousands of prospective candidates failed to sit for their examinations owing to “exorbitant” fees.

It is highly likely that the same scenario could be experienced this year.

7 June 2010

By Students Solidarity Trust (Solidary)

General Comment

Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education is still reeling in a myriad of problems hinged on underfunding by the government.

Provision of education is universally the prime responsibility of the government yet the current inclusive government has a lackadaisical approach to the everyday challenges in the sector emanating largely from underfunding. Yester year problems, the very problems associated with the rudimentary era of Zimbabwe dollar “burning” of money and the well documented political turmoil persist. They include unaffordable tuition fees; closure of campus residence at the University of Zimbabwe, a mundane soldierly student funding cadetship scheme, heavy handedness of ‘law’ enforcement agents when reacting to students’ protests, dilapidation of learning and research infrastructure; shortages of qualified lecturers, reference books, computers, stationary for administrative use and limited access to internet. Minister Mudenge of Higher and Tertiary Education is conspicuous with his silence and absence in spear-heading an all stakeholder collective initiative towards the resolution of the challenges faced by higher tertiary education as is being done by his counter part in the Ministry of Education Sports, Arts and Culture Senator David Coltart through the Education Transition Fund that caters for basic education.

MEDIA WATCH
Examinations
As the deadline for examinations loomed, there was chaos at some schools owing to the decision by some school authorities in Bulawayo to move the closing date for registration forward by a week. The Chronicle of May 18 reported that school authorities argued that they needed time to sort out the registration forms before sending them to Harare. This begs the question as to how centralised the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council [ZIMSEC] is and whether their provincial and district offices are of no use where examination fees are concerned. On average students write at least 8 subjects at Ordinary Level with each subject costing USD 10. Advanced Level students paid USD 20 for their subjects which should be at least 3. The Advanced Level students also have to pay USD 15 for a compulsory English Communication course. Several years of little economic activity have resulted in many parents unable to pay these fees due to several factors such as unemployment and very low salaries they are getting from government and the private sector. They therefore live from hand to mouth and any arbitrary shift in dates will surely throw them off course where budgets are concerned.

College Watch
The rise in sexually transmitted infections in colleges has led to calls for more information to be provided to students on sexual and reproductive health. The Herald of May 17 quotes Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team [SAYWHAT], as revealing that 65% of students in tertiary institutions did not have adequate information on sexual and reproductive health. The research also highlights the little attention given to women’s sanitary wear as they are using rugs from campus bed mattresses and old pieces of cloth as sanitary wear because retailed products were beyond their reach. Due to lack of resources within the education system, the women’s sanitary wear has either fallen off the agenda or is now very low down on the authorities’ agenda of revamping education. However, this may have a long-term effect as several young women were now susceptible to side effects and cancers associated with using some of the materials noted above.

Sunday News

6 June 2010

Talking sport with Phineas Mukwazo

OVER the years Zimbabwean athletes have carried the Zimbabwean flag with pride when participating both regional and internationally.

Some of the world-acclaimed athletes who come to mind in that regard are Brian Dzingai, Lewis Banda, Tendai Chimusasa, Savieri Ngidhi, Cuthbert Nyasango, Samukeliso Moyo, Young Talkmore Nyongani, Sharon Tawengwa, Tabitha Tsatsa, George Majaji, Tendai Chimusasa, the list is endless. Recently 34-year-old Stephen Muzhinji further underscored the competitive nature and resilience of our athletes when he successfully retained the grueling Comrades Marathon title in South Africa. Some of the afore-mentioned athletes have since retired or are on the verge of calling it quits. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the athletics authorities in this country to close gap by emphasising on the equivalent of what in soccer circles is known as a vibrant junior development policy.

It is with that in mind, that it is disturbing when one learns that standing in between such benevolent developmental initiatives are useless squabbles that at best border on sheer selfishness.

I was privileged to be in Botswana for the well attended and anticipated Confederation of African Athletics Southern Region and 2010 Youth Olympic Games Qualifiers at the University of Botswana Stadium in Gaborone recently. I was impressed about how youth athletes are valued in other countries. It has to be said that while our athletes had to scrounge for transport to take them to the Games, Lesotho athletes traveled in a bus belonging to their equivalent of our Sports and Recreation Commission, while the team from Swaziland traveled in the comfort of a bus provided by David Coltart’s equivalent ministry here. That is how it is supposed to be.

Disturbing as it were, elsewhere in our sports pages this week we carry a story that the young innocent Zimbabwe athletes could have missed participating in Youth Olympics Games qualifiers in Botswana last month after the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee(ZOC) allegedly withdrew funding for the trip at the last minute following a misunderstanding with the National Athletics Associations of Zimbabwe(NAAZ).

It has since emerged that NAAZ were left clutching at straws when ZOC withdrew their support at the last minute and the athletics governing mother body had to resort to the begging bowl to complement their meager resources so that the under-18 athletes could make the trip.

Sources within the athletics camp that traveled with the team to Botswana spoke of personality clashes pitting individuals at ZOC and NAAZ, although the blame was squarely laid on the former.

It can also be noted that these were the same underprivileged youngsters who could not prepare adequately for the final qualifiers. It is on record that the youngsters failed to go to camp last December and take part in the South African Yellow Pages as part of their preparations for the finale. We therefore implore both the ZOC and NAAZ, as we have done in the past, to settle their differences once and for all for the benefit of the development of athletics in this country.

We will not proffer any solutions this time around, but we can only advise that great leaders never set themselves above their followers except in carrying responsibilities.
This can only be done if both recognise their responsibilities in the whole jigsaw puzzle; ZOC sticking to its mandate of financing developmental and talent identification initiatives by NAAZ.

A final word of advice should be that:
“In a controversy, the instant we feel angry, we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.”

Herald

June 4 2010

Harare — Confusion surrounds the November 2010 Ordinary and Advanced level examination registration deadline, with senior Government officials yesterday issuing conflicting statements.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said Government had extended the deadline for students under the Basic Education Assistance Module.

However, his Deputy Lazarus Dokora said the extension covered all students who failed to register before Zimsec’s May 28 deadline.

In an interview, Minister Coltart said: “Those who failed to register because of inefficiency and are not impoverished are not going to benefit. This is strictly for the disadvantaged who meet the criteria utilised by Beam.”

He said Cabinet was still to consider the amount of money needed to help disadvantaged students and Beam officials were being consulted on the matter.

“We understand that there might have been some students that failed to register because of poverty so we are in the process of establishing an extension of the deadline to cater for them,” he said.

Minister Coltart said they needed to stick to the deadline for professional reasons and to bring order to Zimbabwe’s education sector.

“The deadline we set this year will help stabilise Zimsec,” the minister said.

He said the Government was in the process of determining the exact number of registered candidates to ensure proper planning for the public examinations.

“There is need to contract printing houses, some external to Zimbabwe, that is why we need to determine with accuracy how many students have registered,” Minister Coltart said.

He said this year’s deadline should not have ignited concern because it had always been the norm before the decade of economic decline.

However, speaking at a function to mark 100 years since the establishment of Chiedza Primary School in Mbare, Deputy Minister Dokora said: “All students left out will register through the late entry window period.

“The window period will run from the initial May 28 deadline to June 11 and all students registering under this arrangement will have to pay a US$5 late registration fee per subject.”

He said all schools were aware of the late entry arrangement and the Government did not need to issue a circular to that effect.

Deputy Minister Dokora dismissed reports that many students were shunning the local examination board preferring international boards like the Cambridge Examinations Council.

He said the latter were expensive and beyond the reach of many.

Social Welfare Minister Paurina Mpariwa added that Unicef had provided part of the money to pay exam fees for students under Beam.

“Those disadvantaged persons who failed to pay for registration will benefit from the US$20 million rollout that we received from Unicef,” she said.

Exam fees remained unchanged this year at US$10 and US$20 per Ordinary and Advanced Level subject respectively.

Zimsec gave May 28 as the deadline for registration which many parents and guardians said was “unrealistic”.

“The Cambridge deadline is end of June. Why should it be more flexible for a foreign exams body than ours?” asked one parent yesterday.

Last year, tens of thousands of prospective candidates failed to register after failing to raise the exam fees.