Prof Jonathan Moyo donates computers

THE Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North, Professor Jonathan Moyo, who is also the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development has donated 35 computers to seven secondary schools in his constituency and 15 computers to Government departments in Tsholotsho District, as part of the development programme for the area.

He has also proposed the idea of introducing a model low-cost boarding facility at schools in his constituency where some pupils' homes are located as far as 30 kilometres from schools. This emerged on Friday during the first leg of a two-day tour of his constituency assessing projects and challenges mostly related to schools and the food situation in the constituency, where the MP has been augmenting Government efforts to ensure no one starves.

Zimbabwe is grappling with the effects of the El Nino induced drought and President Mugabe has declared it a State of Disaster. Prof Moyo was accompanied by some Government and council officials in the district.

In an interview yesterday, the Tsholotsho District Education Officer, Mr Kevin Mathe - who was part of Prof Moyo's delegation - said the donation of computers would enhance development of information communication technology in the district.

"We are encouraging teachers to use the computers for instruction and then the schools themselves use these for creating databases of information about the school in administration and so on, while the pupils have a chance to learn how to use the gadgets. This is a welcome development and we appreciate the contribution by our Member of Parliament."

Prof Moyo who was only elected as Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North in a by-election last year - gave five computers each to seven schools in his constituency, Samahuru High School and Chitatshawa, Zibungululu, Panedziba, Jimila, Ngamo and Dibutibu Secondary Schools. The MP also gave 15 computers to Government departments in the district.

Apart from donating computers, Prof Moyo has also been seized with facilitating development in the constituency through provision of electricity to schools and other key institutions like clinics. Mr Mathe said Prof Moyo had come up with the idea of a provision of a model low cost boarding facility to be introduced in schools in the constituency as some pupils were travelling long distances to school.

"It's a proposal that has been made and is still being discussed."

Mr Mathe said the issue of lack of schools offering pure sciences in the constituency was a cause for concern for the Minister who has been spearheading the learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics revolution.

"Most high schools in the district offer humanities, that is languages and so on and also offer commercials not pure sciences," he said. "In the district we have one school offering pure sciences at Advanced Level and in Tsholotsho North we don't have a school offering pure sciences. The minister who has been leading the STEM revolution is obviously concerned but we hope with the introduction of the new curriculum that will be taken care of."