Monthly Archives: May 2009
Minister Coltart should get his priorities right
Financial Gazette Letters to the Editor Thursday, 07 May 2009 EDITOR — When David Coltart was sworn in as Education, Sport and Culture Minister, there were mixed reactions. Some pinned their hopes on him reviving Zimbabwe’s education sector, which is in tatters; others hoped he would change the direction of national sports — including his […]
Zimbabwe’s time running out
ABC Wednesday, 6 May , 2009 Reporter: Andrew Geoghegan TONY EASTLEY: Zimbabwe’s unity government has been trying to convince other countries and investors that real political and economic reform is underway in the country. But the arrest of a group of prominent human rights activists overnight has only reinforced opinion that little has changed in […]
Zimbabwe Teachers Strike Averted
VOA By Peta Thornycroft Harare 05 May 2009 Last week, the unions, two aligned to President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and one independent, threatened to strike if salaries were not increased beyond $100 a month. But many teachers polled by VOA around Harare say they had no intention of going on strike. They say the call […]
Zimbabwe: ‘clothes are a luxury’
Channel 4 News 5 May 2009 At the start of a new school term in Zimbabwe one teacher cannot even afford to replace her shoes on her wages, writes Helen. “Government coffers are bare” was the message to school teachers from Education Minister David Coltart. Promises of increases coming (hopefully from the donor community) and […]
18 Zimbabwe activists jailed again
Daily Nation 5 May 2009 A Zimbabwe court today ordered 18 opposition activists facing charges of terrorism back to prison after they were indicted for trial next month in a move that will spark fresh tensions in a new unity government. The activists, including leading human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, say they were abducted by […]
Zimbabwe unions call off teachers’ strike
AFP May 5, 2009 HARARE — Zimbabwe’s teachers unions on Tuesday called off a threatened strike at state schools after the government agreed to scrap fees for children of teachers. “We are going back to work but that does not mean teachers are happy,” Tendai Chikowore, president of the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association, told AFP. “The […]
Coltart Orders Dramatic Cut in Fees, Teachers’ Children Exempt
ZIMDIASPORA TUESDAY, 05 MAY 2009 By LOVEMORE MAZIVISA ZIMBABWE’S Education Minister Senator David Coltart ordered a dramatic cut in public school fees on Monday as the government moved to save the country’s education system from collapse. Public school teachers who are paid just US$100 monthly allowances along with the rest of the country’s civil servants […]
Zimbabwe teachers continue to be harassed
Zimbabwe Telegraph By MIKE MAKOMO Published: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 HARARE – Despite the creation of a power-sharing government in February 2009, teachers in Zimbabwe continue to be victims of harassment and intimidation, human rights organisations have said. The situation is being coupled with new threats by teachers to refuse going back to school before […]
South Africa says Zimbabweans welcome without visas
AP 4 May 2009 JOHANNESBURG – In an effort to reduce waves of Zimbabwean asylum seekers, South Africa announced Monday that its neighbor’s citizens can travel here on a free 90-day visitor’s permit and apply to do casual work during their stay. Immigration minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula appeared with her two Zimbabwean counterparts to make the […]
Zimbabwe teachers call off strike
BBC 4 May 2009 Teachers in Zimbabwe have called off a strike despite their wage demands not being met, while the government has slashed school fees for the new term. David Coltart said the government had no money to raise their salaries, but he had agreed to help teachers by giving their children free schooling. […]