The Herald
By Sydney Kawadza
18th April 2009
ZIMBABWEAN children should put more effort in their schoolwork to avoid wasting their parents’ resources and efforts in educating them, President Mugabe has said.
Speaking at the annual children’s party he traditionally co-hosts with the First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe, on the eve of the country’s Independence anniversary, President Mugabe said parents worked hard in tough times to send their children to school.
He also paid tribute to teachers who have remained committed to their duties despite the challenges facing them over the years.
“We want to express our gratitude to parents for their understanding, for being prepared to send their children to school. We didn’t have to pass laws to force parents to send their children to school like other countries.
“The parents have had the compassion to send their children to school. It was otherwise the State that felt had been compelled to provide schools for the children.
“Practically every family wants to send their children to school even up to university level,” he said.
President Mugabe said children should remember that although the country had gone through tough economic times, parents continued to strive for a better education for them.
Some parents sold their livestock or did odd jobs to make sure that their children were educated.
“You must understand how hard your parents are working to get you to school. This is not the time for you to play truant, it’s not the time for children to waste their parents’ hard- earned cash by doing silly things at school,” he said.
The bad behaviour, President Mugabe said, included drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and marijuana and engaging in immorality.
“You should grow up in the manner in which you are advised (because) if you miss the chance, you won’t get another,” he said.
Once bad behaviour is cultivated, he said, there is no way it can be changed when you grow up.
“Habits such as drinking (alcohol), taking ruinous drugs . . . refuse them, refuse the taste of beer, don’t even touch it and even a dog has refused such things.
“Zvino woswera uchiputa mbanje nerweseri, ukubhemi imbanje, hatshi, hatshi, hatshi!”
President Mugabe also shared with the children what he had learnt during his school days about the importance of good behaviour.
“I was taught during my school days, when I was about 14 years old, that once it (bad behaviour) is repeated it becomes a habit . . .
“He said ‘if you sow an act, you reap a habit, if you sow a habit, you reap a character and if you sow a character, it becomes your destiny’, that is what I was taught, so your character becomes your destiny,” he said.
President Mugabe said while the children celebrated their day, the Independence Day, they should not let their parents down.
“Zuva iri nderenyu vana vechidiki, nhasi namangwana, namangwana, namangwana. Independence ndeyenyu — ngatifarei takabatana, masijabule sibambene.
“Tinozvida kuti tose tifare (asi) haikona kutiregerera. Kana waenda kuchikoro wonzi wafoira, hazviite, hakuna vanhu vanozvarwa
neudofo.
“Tinoda kuti muve vana vanobudirira muzovawo vatungamiri vamangwana. Muzova maPresident nemaPrime Minister amangwana asi nyika haitongwe nemadofo.”
President Mugabe said although some teachers had been forced to leave their jobs because of the harsh economic times in the country, it was now time for them to come back.
“We are part of you, though some of us are retired, we are still teachers and we know what it means to impart knowledge to the children.
“We know we need to support you in your difficult times. You need to be well paid, to be well housed, to be well dressed and we admit Government has not been able to provide that and it means you have had to do with very little that has been provided,” he said.
Government, he said, recognised the sacrifices and professional commitment shown by teachers who remained in the country.
“We cannot blame those who failed to cope with the difficult circumstances and had to go to South Africa and other countries.
“However, there are some who absconded, who disappeared without giving notice, it was wrong. We condemn those who went without giving notice. Surely, you could have given notice,” he said.
President Mugabe, however, said Government would want the teachers and all professionals to come back and help rebuild the country.
“We want you to come back and man the schools. We need you now, the establishment of the inclusive Government means parties have agreed to look at our differences, sink these differences and uphold areas of agreement.
“We want to serve the country, to bring peace and stability. We want to infuse the spirit of confidence, a spirit of developing the country but we need to look at rising from the degeneration of the country.”
President Mugabe said Zimbabwe needs to stem the decline that has taken place for good.
“The recovery of the economy— after the launch of the Short-Term Emergency Recovery Programme — we need teachers, social services, clinics and hospitals and polytechnics and universities to function and our agricultural sector to yield and produce the crops we feed on and produce for export,” he said.
President Mugabe said Government would continue to work hard to improve the lives of Zimbabweans.
“We would continue to work for our children, for the future of the country and together we will overcome!”
The children’s party also drew leaders from the country’s main political parties including Education, Arts, Sport and Culture Minister David Coltart, his deputy Lazarus Dokora, Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu, Youth Affairs, Indigenisation and Employment Creation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Deputy Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu among other senior Government officials.