The Herald
17 April 2010
By Sydney Kawadza and Felex Share
Government is working hard to ensure Zimbabwe’s education system regains its status as one of the best in Africa, President Mugabe has said.
Addressing schoolchildren and guests at the traditional Independence Day children’s party at the City Sports Centre in Harare, President Mugabe said although the education system had been battered over the past few years, Government was confident things would soon improve.
He paid tribute to teachers and parents who stood by Government during the past difficult decade.
“I congratulate your parents for having managed to sustain you, working hard, in some cases with tears flowing from their eyes.
“They managed to get the necessary resources to support your education. We still are going through a difficult patch but we hope things will become better. Keep up that patience, hard work and fortitude and ensure that children remain in school.
“To the teachers, it is with regret and apologies that your reward has been nothing but a mere pittance; not worthy to be called salaries at all but just allowances.
“(However), that professional drive has been pushing you not to let the children down. We feel for you, I personally do feel for you,” he said.
President Mugabe commended Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart for his efforts to get sufficient resources for education.
“I happen to know that Minister Coltart is busy knocking at doors each day. He has tried his best but these knocks have yielded nothing and sometimes very little.
“I want to assure you that we are doing our best and things will improve. I cannot see them getting any worse because we are working hard that they improve.”
President Mugabe said parents and teachers should work with the Govern-ment to improve education.
“Togetherness is vital and the reward of doing so will see us prospering sooner than later.
“Quite a number of children have dropped out of school and it pains us because we had developed our system of education to a level that it was admired by many in Africa, if not the world.
“To reach such a stage where children drop out of school is a negation of the principle we set ourselves to achieve in the first instance.
“Our standards have fallen. But, of course, there is always room for improvement and the hopes that things will get better.
“Let’s keep the spirit that shows that there is always optimism on the part of parents, children and Government that we are moving ahead that there is progress not retrogression,” he said.
President Mugabe exhorted children to work hard at school to avoid wasting their parents’ and guardians’ money.
“You are our torchbearers. When parents send you to school and Government works hard to sustain your education, it is you we are looking up to, we are reposing our trust in you.
“In you we have our beliefs that our tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow will see a Zimbabwe which would grow better and better.
“Pay attention to your lessons even with the little resources available. Take education seriously, you are indeed our successors and we do not want our successors to be ignorant.
“We want you to be enlightened and we do hope that teachers and parents will also be guided by the students,” he said.