MP challenges government over Nambya teacher deployment

Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda has called on government to urgently address what he describes as the marginalisation of the Nambya language in schools, warning that current teacher deployment practices are undermining early childhood education in Matabeleland North.

According to the National Assembly's official record of 7 April 2026, Bonda formally asked the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to explain why trained Nambya-speaking teachers are not being deployed in Hwange District, while non-speakers continue to be posted to the area.

He said the situation was depriving children of the opportunity to learn in their mother tongue during formative years.

"The practice is depriving children of receiving instruction in their mother language at the early education stage, which is critical to both educational outcomes and cultural development," Bonda said.

Zimbabwe's language policy framework stipulates that learners should be taught in their mother language in early grades. However, critics argue that failure to align teacher deployment with local linguistic realities is weakening the implementation of the policy.

Despite the concerns, the matter remains unresolved in Parliament. The inquiry was initially deferred on 18 March, and as of the latest sitting, the ministry had not yet provided a formal response.

Parents in Hwange say the issue is already affecting children's academic performance.

"Our children are disadvantaged from the start," said Ester Ncube from Jambezi under Chief Shana. "If a child cannot understand the teacher in Grade One, it affects everything that follows."

Community leaders say the issue goes beyond education and touches on cultural identity.

"Language is part of who we are," said local elder Eliziya Vashe Shoko. "If schools do not teach in Nambya, we are slowly losing our identity. Government must take this seriously."

Young professionals in the province argue that the challenge lies not in a shortage of qualified teachers, but in gaps in recruitment and deployment.

"There are trained teachers who speak Nambya, Lozvi, Chidombe and other local languages, but they are not being deployed here," said Lindiwe Sibanda.

"At the same time, teachers from outside are brought in. It does not make sense. These languages should be prioritised so that communities feel a sense of belonging and respect," she added.

The language dispute forms part of broader concerns over regional equity in Matabeleland North. Bonda has also raised issues related to local employment quotas in the wildlife sector and the exclusion of Hwange from national weather forecasts, arguing that these reflect a wider disconnect between national policy and local needs.