'Devolution will solve teacher shortage problems'

A PRESSURE group has called on government to urgently implement devolution of power and avoid embarrassing situations, such as the one where a school failed to open for the third term due to inadequate teachers.

In a statement yesterday, the Campaigners for Devolution said the failure by Negasha Primary School in Hwange East to open for the third term would have been avoided had government allowed the local community to run its own affairs.

The school failed to re-open after it emerged that it was left with a single teacher at the end of last term.

"The failure of Negasha Primary School in Hwange District to open due to unavailability of teachers forcing students to miss out on vital learning opportunities that could have transformed them and their families' lives is a clear sign that our centralised system of government is dismally failing to manage the education system in the country," the pressure group said.

"Should the government of Zimbabwe have devolved power according to the constitutional provisions, the Matabeleland North province or the Hwange district leadership would have solved timely the Negasha issue and they would have had the power to avert the problem from happening in the first place."

Matabeleland North provincial education director, Boithathelo Mnguni, recently told State media that the shortage of teachers was a common feature in the province.

The Campaigners for Devolution said the problem could only be resolved if government allows for devolution of power.

"The continued failure by the government to deliver services to the locals, to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of local communities, coupled by its obsession with centralisation of governance power and authority, adds to growing public agitation and resentment from the citizens," the group said.