News / National
Teachers must be given land for farming, says Mathema
29 Sep 2014 at 10:22hrs | Views
MATABELELAND North Provincial Minister Cain Mathema says teachers must be allocated land for planting crops as a way of incentivising them.
Mathema revealed this while officiating at electricity switching on ceremony at Guwe Primary School in Nkayi on Friday.
According to a Bulawayo-based daily paper Mathema said each teacher should be given between five to 10 hectares of land for planting of crops as a way of incentivising their noble service.
"We want to see diamond-mesh wire surrounding the school so that goats don't enter. I'm there in the office if you need assistance.
"We don't want laziness. It's not even wanted in the Bible. Laziness is the mentality that was instilled in us by Rhodes and the colonisers," Mathema was quoted by the Chronicle today.
Mathema also charged that teachers deserved decent accommodation after noting that teachers at the school shared school cottages. He added that teachers were doing a great job hence deserved reward.
"It pains me that civil servants share houses and you will find three in a house. They should be able to live decently, enjoy their privacy and invite their relatives," said Mathema.
"My dream is that electricity is connected to all schools and households in this area."
The provincial minister also shared his vision of seeing villagers getting piped water for irrigation purposes.
"We want to see piped water even in schools. It has been done in Tsholotsho so I will bring Zinwa so that the issue is looked into. Each household should be able to cultivate crops round the year and not rely on the rains only. The proceeds from selling their crops in their fields would then pay for water and electricity," he added.
Mathema said the initiative would ensure food security in line with the government's economic blueprint, Zim-Asset. "In some of the NGO sponsored projects you'll see elderly people made to dance for a little portion of land. The chairperson will then loot things andv people fail to benefit," he said.
Mathema revealed this while officiating at electricity switching on ceremony at Guwe Primary School in Nkayi on Friday.
According to a Bulawayo-based daily paper Mathema said each teacher should be given between five to 10 hectares of land for planting of crops as a way of incentivising their noble service.
"We want to see diamond-mesh wire surrounding the school so that goats don't enter. I'm there in the office if you need assistance.
"We don't want laziness. It's not even wanted in the Bible. Laziness is the mentality that was instilled in us by Rhodes and the colonisers," Mathema was quoted by the Chronicle today.
Mathema also charged that teachers deserved decent accommodation after noting that teachers at the school shared school cottages. He added that teachers were doing a great job hence deserved reward.
"It pains me that civil servants share houses and you will find three in a house. They should be able to live decently, enjoy their privacy and invite their relatives," said Mathema.
"My dream is that electricity is connected to all schools and households in this area."
The provincial minister also shared his vision of seeing villagers getting piped water for irrigation purposes.
"We want to see piped water even in schools. It has been done in Tsholotsho so I will bring Zinwa so that the issue is looked into. Each household should be able to cultivate crops round the year and not rely on the rains only. The proceeds from selling their crops in their fields would then pay for water and electricity," he added.
Mathema said the initiative would ensure food security in line with the government's economic blueprint, Zim-Asset. "In some of the NGO sponsored projects you'll see elderly people made to dance for a little portion of land. The chairperson will then loot things andv people fail to benefit," he said.
Source - chronicle
