News / National
Zimbabwe's education in crisis
07 Oct 2020 at 08:16hrs | Views
That Zimbabwe is in a deep crisis is open to everyone to see. What is disheartening is the choreographed denial by the ZANU PF government.
The ZANU PF government has been driving Zimbabwe towards a cliff. For months on end, nurses and doctors have been on strike and the government does not care a wit about it.
On 28 September 2020, exam classes returned to school after six months of enforced closure due to the Covid19 pandemic. Our teachers and other civil servants have declared incapacitation due to the debilitating economic challenges. How could they when they earn slave wages of $30 per month!
Over this last weekend, Jacob Ngarivhume, Convener of the 31st July Protests, passed by a school in Gweru Rural. The structure that confronted him resembled a building in war torn Afghanistan or Libya. Ironically, Zimbabweans have declared war against corruption, only to be let down authorities who appear to too keen to suppress these voices of reason.
"This is a true reflection of the national crisis that we are in as a nation. To consider this as a school and a workplace for our teachers is a mockery to the teaching profession," charged Ngarivhume.
"Calling these buildings with no windows, window frames, doors and roofing a school forty years into independence is an admission of failure by government. Does government even know such schools like this exist? This is a forgotten place. They loot state coffers leaving nothing for reinvestment in social service provision" observed Ngarivhume.
This has been a tough year for students who have lost exam preparation time yet government insists that exams are due in a month's time. With teachers digging in over salary demands, the education sector is in serious problems.
"Government has to attend to the glaring crisis in the education sector and be more realistic and humane in attending to these issues. This national crisis will leave scars that will take years to heal" said Ngarivhume.
The ZANU PF government has been driving Zimbabwe towards a cliff. For months on end, nurses and doctors have been on strike and the government does not care a wit about it.
On 28 September 2020, exam classes returned to school after six months of enforced closure due to the Covid19 pandemic. Our teachers and other civil servants have declared incapacitation due to the debilitating economic challenges. How could they when they earn slave wages of $30 per month!
Over this last weekend, Jacob Ngarivhume, Convener of the 31st July Protests, passed by a school in Gweru Rural. The structure that confronted him resembled a building in war torn Afghanistan or Libya. Ironically, Zimbabweans have declared war against corruption, only to be let down authorities who appear to too keen to suppress these voices of reason.
"This is a true reflection of the national crisis that we are in as a nation. To consider this as a school and a workplace for our teachers is a mockery to the teaching profession," charged Ngarivhume.
"Calling these buildings with no windows, window frames, doors and roofing a school forty years into independence is an admission of failure by government. Does government even know such schools like this exist? This is a forgotten place. They loot state coffers leaving nothing for reinvestment in social service provision" observed Ngarivhume.
This has been a tough year for students who have lost exam preparation time yet government insists that exams are due in a month's time. With teachers digging in over salary demands, the education sector is in serious problems.
"Government has to attend to the glaring crisis in the education sector and be more realistic and humane in attending to these issues. This national crisis will leave scars that will take years to heal" said Ngarivhume.
Source - Online
