National pride in tatters as rural schools neglect flag hoisting

A worrying trend has emerged across Zimbabwe's rural schools, where tattered national flags are being flown - or none at all - raising concerns about declining patriotism and the deepening neglect of public education infrastructure.

In many institutions, faded, torn or completely absent flags have become a visible symbol of the challenges facing rural schools.

"The glaring absence of the national flag in the majority of our schools is a stinging symbol of a deeper rot: the systematic betrayal of the liberation promise," said Obert Masaraure, leader of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ).

Masaraure accused government of starving schools of resources, saying many institutions could not afford basic teaching materials, let alone a new flag.

"In this state of emergency, purchasing a flag is an exercise in futility and a waste of scarce resources," he said.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has acknowledged the problem. Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said it was mandatory for schools to hoist a clean and intact national flag.

"The flag is not just a piece of cloth; it is a sacred symbol of our sovereignty, unity, and the sacrifices made for our nation," Ndoro said.

Meanwhile, traditional healer Sekuru Nyangatayani has begun donating national flags to schools in Mashonaland Central in an effort to restore dignity and national pride.  

A Bulawayo24.com observation has revealed that several rural schools in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West are flying torn flags - or have no flag at all.