The Unpacking a Prospective Councillor's Political Manifesto: Education

On the 7th of December 2021 I published my Political Manifesto as prospective councillor for Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency Ward 25 Zimbabwe 2023 General Elections.My manifesto was received with mixed reactions but the majority of people were of the view that I am the right candidate for the post. My manifesto looked into various issues which I expect to tackle wants I am voted into office in the 2023 general elections. In this article I would like to share with you how I expect to improve the education sector in Ward 25 during my tenure as the Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency Ward 25 Councillor.

Ward 25 of the Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency is located in rural Gokwe South District under Headman Chisina Chief Njelele. It has two (2) secondary schools namely, Chevecheve and Chidoma Secondary Schools and five (5) primary schools namely, Bluegum, Krima, Mwembesi, Chidoma and Chemowa Primary Schools.

I promised in my manifesto that I will make sure that every school going child attends school. Gone are the days that school kids drop out of school due to poverty. I promise that I will work with the ministry of primary and secondary education, the social welfare and the donor community to make sure that every child has access to education since it is a right of every child as per our national constitution.

It is my desire as a prospective councillor for Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency Ward 25 to close the digital divide. Everything is going digital these days. Computers and internet has changed teaching and learning in schools. Unfortunately, the rural areas are lagging behind on this front due to lack of electricity and internet connections. It is therefore my hope that the seven schools in my ward will be able to have solar powered computer laboratories. This is achievable! Once our schools had these labs connected to the internet, blended learning will be made possible such that even if there are lockdowns, a period where schools cannot open, learning can continue to take place. Parents will be encourage to buy ICT gadgets for their kids so that pupil/teacher interactions can continue to take place even during weekends and holidays.

Water is another challenge in Ward 25 particularly at Chevecheve High School. Teachers are walking long distances to fetch water and it's not good for our teaching professionals. It is ambition to solve the waters challenges at all our seven schools. Yes we can't have running water in our ward but we can drill boreholes with the assistance of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, our local authority Gokwe South Rural District Council and the District Development Fund. I am happy that the Zanu PF government is giving local authorities the Devolution Funds and those funds can be used for such projects.As a councillor I will make sure the council make resolutions towards such kinds of projects in for our schools.

As a member of school development committee I will make sure that funds paid by parents towards the development of schools are used for that purpose. Although education is free I also believe communities have a role to develop their school infrastructure. Our school infrastructure is being neglected. Classrooms are collapsing, classrooms do not have windows or doors, there are no chairs and tables in most of the classrooms, some schools have fading paints, there are no teaching and learning media, the blackboard is the only teaching media available to the teachers. I expect to change all this during my tenure. I will attend all SDC committee meetings and I won't send representatives. I will make sure that our schools are painted, classroom doors are fitted, and teaching media is bought such as computers and projectors. I will make sure that school heads and SDC committees are accountable in terms of the money which they receive from parents.

We used to have an A level at Chevecheve High School and I am told we no longer have it and our students have transferred to other schools seeking A level facilities. I will assist Chevecheve High School to re-introduce A level even if it means building boarding facilities at the school so as to attract kids from other schools outside our constituency.

According to IFLA the goal of all school libraries is to develop information literate students who: are responsible and ethical participants in society, competent self-directed learners, who are aware of their information needs and actively engage in the world of ideas, display confidence in their ability to solve problems and know how to locate relevant and reliable information, are able to manage technology tools to access information and to communicate what they have learned, are able to operate comfortably in situations where there are multiple answers or no answers, hold high standards for their work and create quality products, are flexible, able to adapt to change and able to function both individually and in groups.

I am not aware of any school within our ward with a functioning school library. I hope to change this in our tenure. Our schools must acquire library books, employ librarians and have functioning school libraries. This is achievable and this prospective councillor will make it happen.

The Nziramasanga Commission recommended pre-school education but it's lagging behind in our ward because most of our villages are far from public schools. It is my vision that villagers must put their heads together and build small pre-school classes within their villages near ECD leaner's who may not be able to travel long distances to nearby public schools.

I urge all residents of the Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency Ward 25 to vote for me during the Zimbabwe General Elections 2023.I won't disappoint you.

Etiwel Mutero-Prospective Councillor Ward 25 Gokwe-Mapfungautsi Constituency

+263773614293

etiwelm02@gmail.com