News Day
By Silas Nkala
29 April 2013
EDUCATION minister David Coltart has called for urgent government intervention to address what he called the marginalisation of the San community found mostly in Matabeleland South.
Coltart on Friday met Davy Ndlovu, who is the director of the Creative Arts and Education Development Association (Caeda), and other San community leaders in Bulawayo to discuss a number of grievances.
Caeda is a non-governmental organisation that advocates for the rights of San people in Zimbabwe.
“I met Ndlovu on Friday and he told me of the San people’s concerns, especially on education, and I can say they are marginalised in many issues,†Coltart told NewsDay.
“I agreed to visit them in their community to hear and see their problems.â€
The minister said he was happy that the new constitution recognised all languages in Zimbabwe and this would in future ensure that Koisan language would be taught at schools.
“After meeting them (community leaders), I understood their concerns and would be visiting the area soon,†he said.
“It is a marginalised community and we will have to assist them with policy implementation to address their problems on education.â€
The community leaders told Coltart that they wanted their language — Tshwao — to be included in the school curriculum among other minority languages.
One of the community leaders, Miziyabo Tshuma, said they also wanted the government to assist them to send their children to school.
“We are not able to send our children to school because most of us are not working and did not attain any education,†he said.
“We ask the government to come to our rescue and help send our children to school.â€
On Wednesday, the delegation met Water Resources Management and Development minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo to inform him about the water problems affecting their villages in Tsholotsho.