Herald
6 July 2011
GOVERNMENT yesterday commissioned 59 Nissan Hardbody vehicles valued at US$1,3 million to be used by district education officers in monitoring schools countrywide.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Harare yesterday, Education, Sports, Art and Culture Minister David Coltart, said the vehicles were acquired using money the Ministry of Finance allocated to the sector in the 2010 national budget.
He said some of the vehicles had already been dispatched to various districts around the country, while others would be distributed this week.
“This is money from the fiscus and it is a welcome development, which will show how tax payers’ money is being used.
“This is a clear testimony of the importance Government gives to the education sector. I am happy to announce that some of the vehicles have already reached their destinations and some provinces like Matabeleland can now boast of seven vehicles,” he said.
He said each province would get four vehicles and Harare and Bulawayo would receive two each.
He said to ensure quality education, Government would provide each of the country’s 73 administrative districts with a vehicle.
Minister Coltart said the vehicles would go a long way in improving the education standards in the country.
“Lawlessness had crept in the education sector and it is these regulations and policies that we want to restore in the sector with tight monitoring.
We no longer want to have excuses from the monitors,” he said.
Monitoring of schools by Government had been slowed, as most education officers did not have transport to move around the schools.