Dokora grilled over 'O' Level internship

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora was last week grilled in Parliament over his plans for industrial attachment of school leavers with some senators suggesting the move was tantamount to child labour.

Dokora recently announced that 'O' Level school leavers would go on industrial attachment before proceeding to 'A' Level or tertiary institutions as part of a cocktail of reforms for the education sector.

However, Senators felt that the proposed reforms were not well thought out.

Matabeleland South Senator Sithembile Mlotshwa sparked the debate when she said government was compelled to take legislative and other measures to protect children from exploitative labour practices.

Dokora said the proposal was made by consensus during public hearings where people preferred that children should also acquire such skills.

As they were conducting public hearings during investigations, over 961 000 people freely gave their opinions about what they want to see happen in the education sector at the level of primary and secondary education.