Zimbabwe Guardian
Comment
By Philip Murombedzi
Monday 24 August 2009
WHEN President Robert Mugabe shared a platform with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in February, the world was astonished and amazed by the show of unity, discourse and advancement taking place. But when the new Cabinet was sworn in on the grounds of State House, jaws fell right open.
The leadership of our country embarked on a road to recover the economy of our country and repair the fabric of our society.
When we are confronted with common problems we start working together in harmony.
A recent interview by education minister David Coltart expressed the dire need to reform our education system. Undoubtedly on opposite ends of the spectrum for the bulk of their political careers, minister Coltart and his colleagues in Cabinet have found common ground in the urgency of saving our failing schools, educating our children and providing them with the just opportunity to lead Zimbabwe to a state of unparalleled prowess.
The two MDCs and Zanu PF have fought on nearly every issue, often times representing the far ends of their parties, and probably still do on other issuse, but on education reform they have found a basis for shared concern: the future of today’s youth.
Minister Coltart gave a startling report indicating the state of the country’s education sector. The report highlighted the alarming national school dropout rate and said it was no exaggeration that at least a billion dollars was needed to recover the education sector fully. I am sure once a full audit of the education sector is finalised, it will reveal an even more troubling and more frightening scenario.
Minister Coltart has met with a panel of advisers, as they put partisan divisions aside and worked towards real solutions to this most urgent human rights issue of our time.
I am delighted that the minister has prioritised this need over party politics, and party political bickering. And I’m equally thrilled that he promised to host school visits, stakeholder meetings and media briefings on his tour as he raises awareness, incite intelligent discourse and push for immediate action across the country.
We live in a nation where the history is chequered by past misdeeds and discrimination. With Independence the dream of achievement, life chance and racial harmony was afforded to all. But when we continue to recreate conflict and find fault where there’s progress, albeit slow, that dream quickly dissipates for many.
Without a proper education, children do not only lag behind financially, but they easily fall victim to other perils in society – including crime and imprisonment.
When we read about crime in our public and private media daily, it’s easy to see the correlation between education, poverty, opportunity and advancement.
Our schools are failing, our children are failing and we as a country are failing to keep up with many others around the world when it comes to innovation, technology, jobs, the economy and more.
How can we preach education is the key when all many of these young people see is a lack of appropriate textbooks, inadequate teachers and overcrowded classrooms?!
It’s time to collectively stand and take bold action to save our children and our own existence as Zimbabweans, in particular, and Africans in general. At a time when those who are not happy with the political dispensation holding in our country are protesting in malicious ways, I would point to the unique sense of joint concern that President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai have sought to champion. They may disagree on a host of issues – many of which they have called each other out on, and which many people have publicly disagreed with them on – but when it comes to reconciliation and giving life chances to young people, they are both vocal in their combined efforts to advance civil dialogue and effective change.
This is not a time for partisan bickering, nor a time for divisive behaviour, but rather an urgent moment to resurrect Zimbabwe’s dwindling social, political and economic system. It’s not about MDC or Zanu PF, Black or White; it’s about the pressing need to save our country, our children and our very existence. Let’s all join together in this honourable enterprise.