The Herald
Ellina Mhlanga
18 June 2009

Harare — The Government has hailed young motor racing driver Axcil Jefferies for his recent victories in the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific series in Malaysia.

Jefferies (15) did the nation proud when he swept to victory in Round 3 and 5 of the series which were held during the Asian Festival of Speed in Sepeng, Malaysia, on May 30-31.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, earlier this week joined the rest of the nation in saluting young Jefferies for lifting the country’s flag high in Malaysia.

In his congratulatory speech at a small function held at the ministry’s offices in Harare on Monday, Coltart said Jefferies’ performance in Malaysia was a big achievement, not only for him but for the nation as a whole.

“We are very proud of your achievements. You have done well by flying the Zimbabwean flag high and I look forward to follow your career and the day you will be racing in (the prestigious) Formula One.
“We will do everything as the ministry and as a nation to support you and I encourage you to maintain the discipline you have showed.”

Coltart also told young Jefferies that he was not only racing for his personal glory but for the nation as well.

The minister also noted that the country had lost a lot of talent in sport, citing soccer as an example, with most of the local players leaving the country in search of greener pastures in neighbouring countries such as South Africa and Mozambique.

“This is a rare talent we need to nurture and see Axcil becoming a Formula One driver… We are going to back him.

“However, we need to seek excellence in all sporting disciplines and support other disciplines and try to keep the talent here in Zimbabwe.”

Coltart said the media has an important role to play in building the profile of sport in Zimbabwe and promoting the athletes.

In response, Jefferies thanked the nation and his local sponsors Pioneer Corporation for supporting him in his promising career.

“I would like to thank the minister for his support and the nation.

“I’m going to keep my feet on the ground and I’m looking forward to racing in the prestigious Formula One for Zimbabwe in the not-too-distant future,” he said.

Asked about the difficulties he is facing and the reception he gets from other competitors, young Jefferies said he still needed more sponsors to support him.

“We are still looking for sponsorship and will be grateful if we can have other sponsors on board,” he said.

“Some people are surprised to see a young motor racing driver coming from Zimbabwe. However, I’m educating and informing the (foreign) journalists about what is happening in Zimbabwe.”

The young driver urged the youth to stay disciplined and dedicated.

Some of the guests at the ceremony included Zimbabwe Motor Sport Federation president Rose Rushforth and Sport and Recreation Commission director-general Charles Nhemachena.

Zimbabwe Independent
By Nqobile Bhebhe
Thursday, 18 June 2009

AMNESTY International Secretary-General Irene Khan yesterday said the government had failed to improve the country’s human rights situation and economic conditions, which she described as “precarious” and “desperate”.

Khan’s assessment after a six-day fact-finding mission in the country comes when the United States and its Western allies have told Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai — who is on a three week re-engagement mission in Europe — that Zimbabwe needs to improve its human rights record and embark on media and legal reforms.

On visits to the Netherlands, the US, Sweden, Germany and Norway over the past two weeks, Tsvangirai has been handed benchmarks the government he formed with President Robert Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara in February should meet before any resumption of economic aid.

The countries only committed themselves to increasing humanitarian aid that will be channelled through United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations.

Zimbabwe needs direct funding to meet its civil service wage bill, restore social services and recapitalise industry hit hard by the country’s 10-year economic and political crisis.

Khan told journalists in the capital that failure by the country to put an end to human rights abuses would dent its chances of receiving financial aid from Western donors.

She said there was “no sense of real urgency to bring about human rights changes on the part of some government leaders”.

“The human rights situation in Zimbabwe is precarious and the socio-economic conditions are desperate for the vast majority of Zimbabweans,” Khan said. “Persistent and serious human rights violations, combined with the failures to introduce reform of the police, army and security forces or address impunity, and lack of clear commitment on some parts of the government are real obstacles that need to be confronted by the top leadership of Zimbabwe.”

During her first visit to Zimbabwe, Khan held talks with Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Minister of Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa, Minister of Education David Coltart, Minister of State in the President’s Office Didymus Mutasa, Deputy Minister of Justice Jessie Majome, co-Home Affairs ministers Kembo Mohadi and Giles Mutsekwa and Speaker of parliament Lovemore Moyo.

She is scheduled to hold talks with Tsvangirai in London on Monday.

However, she could not meet President Robert Mugabe who had prior commitments.

“No serious efforts have been made to reform the security sector,” Khan said.

“No major investigation or prosecution has been brought against those responsible for state-sponsored political violence in recent years. Some elements of Zanu PF still see the use of violence as a legitimate tool to crush political opponents.”

The Amnesty International boss claimed that she had received “no clear indication from the government as to whether, how or when institutional reform, particularly in the security sector will take place”.

“Whenever we raised the issue of human rights change, the government answered that it needed more resources. Ending attacks on human rights defenders, lifting restrictions on the media and allowing public protesters do not need money, they only require will,” said Khan.

Khan challenged Mugabe and Tsvangirai to help end violence by publicly instructing their members to refrain from violence.

“For the climate of intimidation to end President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai must make public statements clearly instructing all party activists to stop harassment, intimidation and threats against perceived political opponents, including teachers and lawyers,” she said.

Khan said Mugabe as head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces and leader of the country for the last three decades, and those around him, had a special responsibility to deliver on the Global Political Agreement and particularly on core human rights issues.

She called for strengthening the voice of civil society, which Amnesty International said was critical in the absence of a parliamentary opposition.

The organisation also called for the rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression to be guaranteed.

“No meaningful debate can take place without freeing the media. Both national and international media should be allowed to operate freely. This would require neither additional money nor new laws,” Khan added.

However, despite the grim assessment, Khan said the establishment of the inclusive government changed the political landscape and that this was something to be built upon nationally and internationally.

She admitted that tension between Africa and Western countries has not helped to create a common understanding of Zimbabwe’s problems.

“Divisions between Africa and Western governments have not helped to create a common understanding of the human rights problems in Zimbabwe,” said Khan, calling on the international community to overcome its polarisation and support the government to achieve its human rights goals.

She also called on the international community to set common criteria for supporting and measuring the human rights performance of the government.

Although progress on human rights is slow, Khan urged the international community to expand its humanitarian assistance and focus on primary education, saying that all primary school fees and levies should be abolished.

“Because of their inability to pay fees, parents are being forced to make impossible choices, between feeding their children or educating them, between sending their son or daughter to school. The children of Zimbabwe are paying too high a price for the political failure of their government,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tsvangirai and his delegation were in Oslo, Norway, on Wednesday where the country’s premier promised to increase aid to Zimbabwe.

The Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, told Tsvangirai that funds from his government would mainly go towards education, health services and promoting democracy.

The Norwegians pledged US$8 million, to total about US$40 million the country has spent in Zimbabwe so far this year.

As has become the norm with each government that Tsvangirai has visited, the funds will not be channelled through the inclusive government’s financial system, but through the UN, the World Bank and non-governmental organisations.

Tsvangirai was accompanied to the talks by Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.
Norway does not have any sanctions against individuals in Zimbabwe.

Norway’s deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, Raymond Johansen, who was in Harare last month, had invited Mumbengegwi to visit Oslo with Tsvangirai.

Radiovop
Reuters
18 June 2009

HARARE, June 18 2009 – Zimbabwe’s government has failed to improve its human rights record but Western donors should not use that as a reason to hold back aid, Amnesty International said on Thursday.

“Although the level of political violence is significantly less compared to last year, the human rights situation is precarious and the socio-economic conditions are desperate,” the group’s secretary-general Irene Khan told a news conference.

Khan, arrived in Harare last weekend and on Monday met influential Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and also held talks with Presidential Affairs Minister met Didymus Mutasa and Education Minister David Coltart.

Her visit to Zimbabwe is the first by a top official of the world rights body in many years.

Amnesty, among the most outspoken critics of Mugabe’s controversial human rights record, had said in a statement last week that in addition to meeting government officials and human rights defenders, Khan hoped to meet the Zimbabwean leader during her trip to Harare.

Zimbabwe has a long history of gross human rights abuses since 1980. Hundreds of opposition political activists were killed last year during a violent general election.

The new Harare administration has established a national healing ministerial team that will address the violence that characterised the troubled country especially in the run-up to last year’s run off poll.

Political violence that followed then opposition MDC party’s shock victory in presidential and parliamentary elections last year is said to have killed at least 200 opposition supporters and displaced 200 000 others.

Afrik.com
Wednesday 17 June 2009
By Alice Chimora

Amnesty International’s secretary general Irene Khan who is in Zimbabwe has not yet met with President Robert Mugabe as their meeting is awaiting approval from the President’s staff. They are afraid she could ask “damaging questions”

It emerged today that there is growing worry in the presidency for Khan to have a face to face meeting with Mugabe. Sources say Zanu PF hardliners are blocking the meeting fearing that “Khan would ask damaging questions to them”.

Khan, arrived in Harare last weekend and on Monday met influential Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and also held talks with Presidential Affairs Minister met Didymus Mutasa and Education Minister David Coltart.

Her visit to Zimbabwe is the first by a top official of the world rights body in many years. She is on Thursday scheduled to address a press conference in Harare.

Amnesty, among the most outspoken critics of Mugabe’s controversial human rights record, had said in a statement last week that in addition to meeting government officials and human rights defenders, Khan hoped to meet the Zimbabwean leader during her trip to Harare.

Zimbabwe has a long history of gross human rights abuses since 1980. Hundreds of opposition political activists were killed last year during a violent general election.

The new Harare administration has established a national healing ministerial team that will address the violence that characterised the troubled country especially in the run-up to last year’s run off poll.
Political violence that followed then opposition MDC party’s shock victory in presidential and parliamentary elections last year is said to have killed at least 200 opposition supporters and displaced 200 000 others.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who outpolled the 85 year old Mugabe in last March bloody election but failed to secure the margin to take power, withdrew from a June 27 run-off poll saying widespread violence against his supporters made a free and fair vote impossible.

But Mugabe with the backing of army generals went ahead with the presidential run-off poll despite Tsvangirai’s withdrawal. Later he was forced to negotiate a power sharing settlement with the opposition after his victory received worldwide condemnation, leading to the formation of a unity government in February.

Amnesty International has challenged Zimbabwe’s inclusive government to impose the rule of law in the country and that the administration acts against state agents and government officials who continue to violate human rights.

But it said it was concerned about the apparent lack of political will by the power-sharing government to create an environment in which human rights and media workers could freely do their work.

VOA
By Patience Rusere, Washington
16 June 2009

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said Tuesday that youth militants of the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe have set up bases in rural schools in a worrisome repeat of activities that occurred during last year’s period of post-election violence.

Sources said there has been no overt violence but noted that ZANU-PF youth have intruded into a number of school and intimidated teachers over their political affiliations.

They said such ZANU-PF youth had taken over parts of school buildings to hold meetings, prominently displaying ZANU-PF banners and other regalia.

PTUZ President Takavafira Zhou told VOA that bases have been set up in primary and secondary schools in Chikarudzo, Masvingo province, Goromonzi, Mashonaland East, and in the the towns of Gokwe and Mberengwa in Midlands province.

VOA was unable immediately to obtain comment from Education Minister David Coltart on the reports that political pressures are again surfacing in the school system.

Youth Development Minister Savious Kasukuwere denied any knowledge of such bases. He said he was tied up in a meeting and could not grant an interview to studio seven.

Union leader Zhou says youth in ZANU-PF regalia have warned teachers against supporting any other party but have not committed violence against them.

Jephat Karemba, chairman in Mashonaland West province of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, told reporter Patience Rusere that ZANU-PF youth nave moved into two schools in the Zvimba West constituency.

The Herald
16 June 2009

Harare — THE Iranian Embassy yesterday donated 22 tonnes of maize meal to disadvantaged students in the country.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart received the consignment at Ira-Zim Textiles complex in Chitungwiza from Iranian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Rasoul Momeni.

Ambassador Momeni said the donation was in support of the implementation of the inclusive Government’s policy on helping the underprivileged in society.

“This is Iran’s support for the inclusive Government,” he said. “The concept is now on oneness; no politics in the work place. I have the pleasure to present to you a donation from the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the underprivileged students of Zimbabwe.

“We are trying to get more similar aid which will be distributed to other schools as well.”

Minister Coltart thanked the embassy for the donation and assured the ambassador the food would be distributed to all the provinces.

“I appreciate with much pleasure the work done by the embassy,” he said. “We, however, have to share so that every province benefits from the exercise.”

After the donations, the minister and the ambassador toured Ira-Zim Textile complex.

The Standard
By Beaven Tapureta
14 June 2009

THE Zimbabwe International Book Fair returns to the Harare Gardens at the end of July with Professor Hope Sadza, the Vice-Chancellor of Women’s University in Africa, set to provide the keynote address.
The ZIBF will run from July 27 to August 1, under the theme “Reading and Writing Zimbabwe”.

ZIBF Acting Executive Director Greenfield Chilongo said this year’s event is likely to be officially opened by the Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart during the Indaba conference.
The announcement of the dates for this year’s Book Fair comes hardly a month after a new ZIBF board was elected.
It is chaired by University of Zimbabwe lecturer Ruby Magosvongwe. Her deputy is Cletus Ngwaru of the Zimbabwe Book Publishers’ Association. Other members of the new board include Gondai Vutuza of the Booksellers’ Association of Zimbabwe, Dr Rosemary Moyana an educationist at the UZ, Dr Xavier Cerelse (scientist and author with SIRDC) a member of the Zimbabwe Academic and Non-Fiction Writers Association, Professor Zifikile Muguni-Gambahaya, an author and academic (UZ) and Obert Kutadzaushe, a publisher.

“We are seeking to come up with something new. Our objective is to give the readers and stakeholders what they want and provide an opportunity for them to meet some of the leading authors as well as discuss current challenges in the book sector,” Chilongo said.

The return of the Book Fair is expected to send a message to potential foreign exhibitors that the book industry in Zimbabwe is still alive and that new works are still being produced.

“The grant received from the Culture Fund has made it possible for us to ensure that the visitors to the Book Fair are admitted free of charge,” Chilongo said.

The Indaba conference, which provides a platform for publishers, academics, authors, copyright administrators, consumers and book sellers to debate topical developments in their industry, will be held at the Crown Plaza Monomotapa on July 27 and 28.

Chilongo also said the six-day event would cater for school children.

“We have revived the Children’s Reading Tent so that school children, the writers, readers and leaders of tomorrow, develop a reading culture at an early age,” he said.

The tent, a place where children read and listen to modern stories and folktales from experienced storytellers and teachers, was last held several years ago under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Book Development Council.

This year’s theme Reading and Writing Zimbabwe is intended to focus much more on the diverse Zimbabwean literature and voices.

At last year’s Book Fair there were no exhibitions due to the shortages of cash and high cost of transport but the Indaba workshops proceeded as before and provoked spirited debate.

This year’s Book Fair will include book launches, Live Literature, the ZBPA Literary Awards, writers’ workshops and literary debates, book draws as well as exhibition of books, magazines, journals and other artistic creations by stakeholders.

The Chronicle
Chronicle Reporter
13 June 2009

THE Government has finally given in to pressure from both parents and school authorities to allow pupils that failed last year’s Ordinary Level examinations to continue with Lower Sixth lessons while they write supplementary examinations.
In an interview yesterday, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart said the pupils that failed the examinations will be allowed to continue with their Lower Sixth lessons while they write supplementary examinations.
Minister Coltart who had earlier this week said that the Government had not changed its position to have the pupils who failed ejected from classes, said the new position was that the pupils should attain five O-level subjects before sitting for the A-level examinations.
“They can continue with their Lower Sixth classes and write supplementary examinations but they will not be allowed to sit for their A-Level examinations until they attain five O-level passes,” said Minister Coltart.
In an earlier interview, the Bulawayo Provincial Education Director, Mr Dan Moyo, had said pupils who failed the 2008 examinations would be allowed to supplement.
Mr Moyo said pupils who failed Maths and English but had proceeded to Lower Sixth basing on the 2008 August results, would be given a chance to re-sit for the subjects in July.
“We encouraged school headmasters to be fair on pupils and also take into consideration the high fees that were paid by parents under the harsh economic environment. Therefore, we have decided to give the Lower Sixth Forms who failed some essential subjects to register for the June ZIMSEC examinations,” he said.
Mr Moyo revealed that the deadline for the June examinations closed yesterday but failing O Level pupils had been encouraged to register starting Monday 8 June 2009.
“Hopefully, they pass the June examinations because if they fail, we might consider other means of correcting the situation. The reason we want O-level passes in both Mathematics and English is that they gain entry to tertiary colleges,” he explained.
Mr Moyo said the Government took a soft stance on O-levels because ZIMSEC delayed releasing the 2008 final examination results, which only came out last week.
ZIMSEC delayed releasing results due to a 2008 teachers’ strike that dragged for a year. Further, the examinations body had no funds to pay examination markers on time.
However, schools in Bulawayo have recorded satisfactory results for both O-and A-level results for the November/December 2008 examinations.
Although schools this week said they had not yet finalised their assessment, early indications show that the pass-rate was generally good considering the problems that were encountered in the education sector last year.
Turning to the acute shortage of teachers, Mr Moyo said the Government should review salaries to as much as US$500 to persuade teachers to rejoin the public service.
He said Bulawayo still required 675 secondary school teachers.

Zimbabwe Telegraph
By GETRUDE GUMEDE
Published: June 12, 2009

ZIMBABWE-BULAWAYO-Zimbabwe recorded one of the worst Ordinary Level pass rate in the history of the country prompting the government to allow pupils who failed last year’s Ordinary Level examinations to continue with Lower Sixth lessons and write supplementary examinations Zimbabwe Telegraph Reports.

Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart said pupils who fail some of their O Levels have always been allowed to write supplementary examinations.

“They can continue with their Lower Sixth classes and write supplementary examinations but they will not be allowed to sit for their Advanced Level examinations until they attain five O Level passes,” said Senator Coltart.

Delays in the marking of O Level examination papers last year because of teacher’s strikes over poor remuneration saw O Level pupils proceeding to Lower Sixth form before their results were published.
Before government could establish the pass rate, Coltart was quoted in media reports saying pupils who failed to obtain five Olevel passes would be discontinued from Advanced Level to supplement their O Level passes.

However there has been a dramatic change of tone after government realised that Advanced Level classes would be left empty if government went a head with its stance of ejecting those who did not pass Ordinary Level from classes.

A high-ranking official in the Education sector said pupils who failed the 2008 examinations would be allowed to supplement.

“We encouraged school headmasters to be fair on pupils and also take into consideration the high fees that were paid by parents under the harsh economic environment. Therefore, we have decided to give the Lower Sixth Forms who failed some essential subjects to register for the June ZIMSEC examinations,” he said.

ZIMSEC delayed releasing results due to a 2008 teachers’ strike that dragged for a year.

Furthermore, the examinations body had no funds to pay examination markers on time.

However, schools in Bulawayo have recorded satisfactory results for both O and A Level results for the November/December 2008 examinations.

Radio VOP
12 June 2009

HARARE, – The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) is alarmed that schools have registered failed A Level Students, a situation which will seriously compromise Zimbabwe’s education standards.

The government early this year gave schools the go ahead to enrol A Level students, using mid term results.

In an interview with RadioVOP, PTUZ President, Takavafira Zhou said:

“Most of the students who proceeded to A level have a chain of U’s and surely what are their parents toiling for? We do not want the quality of education in the country to be compromised.”

“Last year’s end of year national Ordinary Level results are dismal, apparently the majority of kids who registered for ‘A’ level using their mid term results performed poorly. As the PTUZ we had made our position very clear with regards to the enrolment of Lower Sixth students and clearly told the government that its policy was flawed and ill conceived.”

“Of course most people would ask why parents who clearly knew their child’s poor track record would go ahead and enrol them for Advanced level education – but the truth is that most parents did not know how their kids were performing owing to the absence of end of term reports as teachers had been striking for a long time,” said Zhou.

“Parents who took the permanent secretary’s advice to go ahead and enrol their kids before end of year exam results were released must now clean their mess and I can clearly see confrontation between the ministry and parents in the near future,” he said.

He said parents had been duped by the ministry into using mid year results, a situation which led to further chaos as students went on to forge reports to gain entry.
“Some headmasters made a killing during that enrolment period by selling reports to students who were desperate to be enrolled. This is a sad scenario,” he said.

When contacted for comment, Minister of Education, David Coltart, said he was yet to analyse the results while the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) spokesperson Ezekiel Pasipamire, said his organisation was still to come up with a report detailing the outcome of the results.