Zanu-PF, MDC-T gangs against David Coltart

Zanu-PF and MDC-T ganged after the Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Senator David Coltart on allegations of flouting tender procedures and compromising education by awarding publishing house, Longman Zimbabwe the sole responsibility to publish primary school textbooks ahead of local book houses.

Zanu-PF Gokwe Central MP, Dorothy Mangami moved a motion for debate on the report of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture on primary and secondary schools textbooks distribution under the Education Transition Fund.

MDC-T Chitungwiza North House of Assembly Member, Fidelis Mhashu who seconded the motion described the Minister’s stance as gross corruption which will lead to a collapse in the education sector.

He said Mr Coltart has contravened section 22, subsection 3 part 4 of statutory instrument 171 of 2002 which stipulates that bidders are supposed to be informed with reason as to the failure or success of their bid for tender, in writing and openly.

Reports in the government controlled media alleges that there were also allegations that Senator Coltart himself personally awarded the tender to Longman Zimbabwe.

Zanu-PF Uzumba legislator, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa questioned the type of education that Senator Coltart's Ministry intends to administer to Zimbabwean children, adding that he should have chosen transparency over corrupt tendencies which compromise the country's literacy rate.

The accusations leveled against the Minister emanate from government's efforts to achieve the one book to one pupil ration.

Though the ratio was achieved, Longman Zimbabwe had been awarded the bulky of the work while the Zimbabwe Publishing House and College Press were left to share the smaller remainder.

It is also alleged the tender process also flouted the indigenisation and empowerment laws.

All these Zanu-PF, MDC-T criticisms comes just after most people from Matabeleland are up in arms with the ministry of education to remove a form 3 text book entitled Dynamics of History penned by Chigwedere after revelations that Chigwedere's tribalistc book which criticises the late vice president Joshua Nkomo is fanning tribalism and is feeding pupils poisoned history.

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