Opinion / Columnist
Devolve power to ensure fulfillment of children's fundamental rights
15 Sep 2016 at 11:49hrs | Views
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights notes with great concern the continued structural human rights violations in Matabeleland due to the administrative failures of the centralized governance model that is being practiced in Zimbabwe.
Of note recently, the public print and electronic media reported an incident which speaks of the failure by the centralized governance system to address the basic and fundamental rights and fundamental freedoms of the citizenry:
The Negasha Primary School in Hwange East Constituency which failed to open for Term 3 of 2016 due to the unavailability of teachers. It is also reported that the issue has been affecting the school since the second term of 2016 as the school spent the whole term with just one teacher. This failure by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to ensure that there is proper learning in Negasha Primary School is a clear violation of children's rights as enshrined in Section 19 (1), (2)(d) and (3)(b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe read together with Section 81(1)(d) and (e) and (2).
As an independent human rights think tank and watchdog, Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights wishes to:
1. Call on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to speedily ensure that the children at Negasha Primary School are accorded the respect and dignity befitting all Zimbabwean children by ensuring the resumption of proper learning in that school;
2. Call on the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, Sports, Arts and Culture and the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Human Rights both ensure that the Negasha Primary School issue is resolved immediately;
3. Urge the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to speedily investigate the Negasha Primary School issue and ensure that the rights of children in that community are respected and fulfilled;
4. Encourage the government of Zimbabwe to devolve power to provinces so as to ensure that there is respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms through timely and appropriate service delivery.
Statement By:
The General Secretary
Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights
Email: mihroffice@gmail.com
Source - Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights
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