BBC Sport

By Sam Sheringham

7 February 2013

It was the moment that marked out Andy Flower and Henry Olonga as two of the most courageous figures in the history of their sport.

The Mercury

By Colleen Dardagan

6 February 2013

DESPITE the political and economic turmoil in Zimbabwe, UN research shows the country to be one of the most literate in Africa.

But teachers are paid half of what their counterparts in South Africa are. The government spends just R18 a child each month. School buildings are crumbling, yet the system continues to produce scientists, mathematicians and linguists accepted into universities in South Africa and all over the world.

In comparison, the South African Education Department spends R2 000 a month per child, according to departmental statistics. Teachers and schools are, in the main, well resourced, but the sector is dogged by controversy, inefficiency, watered-down standards and a woeful literacy rate as demonstrated by the Annual National Assessment tests last year.

Education analyst and development activist Graeme Bloch says despite the different histories of the two countries, which he says cannot be ignored, Zimbabwe could teach South Africa a lesson or two.

“They show you can still have a good education system and lousy politicians. They also prove that throwing money at the problem is not the answer. It’s about accountability.”

No Excuses.

Zimbabwe has its fair share of political and economic woes, but the standard of education at schools in the country has been remarkably consistent despite the upheavals. Teachers there have not played the blame game.

“It’s not about getting a certificate, but understanding the importance of learning.”

Zimbabwe’s teachers have not played the blame game, he says.

“They haven’t used the lack of resources or their political situation as an excuse and that’s why they do so well. Zimbabwe (education) is a lot better than us.”

In an exclusive interview with The Mercury, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Sport and Recreation, David Coltart, spelled out the challenges, the triumphs and the fundamental passion which has kept the candle of learning burning bright in the pariah state’s 8 500 schools.

“The education foundation in Zimbabwe is very strong,” he says. “The system has been in place for over 50 years. There is a passion for learning in this country, discipline in our classrooms and a respect by pupils for their teachers.”

Coltart admits the sector is in crisis. Buildings and infrastructure have crumbled and teachers are underpaid.

“My department has the biggest budget, but we still spend a pathetically small amount on education. We did not have a teachers’ strike last year, but our relationship with them is still tenuous. They are paid less than half of what teachers are paid in South Africa.”

He said the country had “lost” 30 000 teachers, mostly to South Africa, during the “dark” years from 2007 to 2009.

“We have managed to put 15 000 teachers back into the system.” He describes them as “underqualified”, resulting in “poor outcomes”.

“But our teachers are in the classrooms. They are still teaching. It is a tribute to them. It is because of that very fact we can get the education system back to what it was in 1999 in less than five years. To me it’s what’s happening in the classroom that matters; the physical elements we can fix later.”

When asked to compare the education outcomes and standards between South Africa and Zimbabwe, Coltart pulls no punches.

“In the 1950s the policies in the two countries were diametrically opposed. In the then Southern Rhodesia, Sir Garfield Todd and his wife, Grace – who is an unsung hero – developed an outstanding curriculum. At the same time the nationalists in South Africa were devising Bantu education. In Southern Rhodesia – and eventually spreading to the whole of what became Rhodesia – education was open to all people. If you were black and clever you could make it to the top just like anyone else. In South Africa they wanted to keep black people as labourers. Even at the height of the war in Zimbabwe, education was never disrupted.”

He alludes to despot President Robert Mugabe’s first 10 years of office as a time when the government poured money into the existing system.

“Successive governments – and even to this day – also allowed missionary schools to run with what they were doing.” But, the seasoned politician and lawyer says what saved schools in the country, which for the past 20 years has seen its economy collapse, were parents.

“In South Africa parents were deliberately kept out of schools. You have a lost generation. In Zimbabwe there is a deep-rooted love for learning and during the years of trauma and crisis it was parents who sustained our schools because of that love. They paid their school fees in fuel, cooking oil, cabbages and meat. Those outside the country donated money back into the schools to keep them going.”

It is this ethic his department is working hard to retain.

“All over the world the trend now is to allow more autonomy and less government interference in schools. The success, particularly in the US and the UK, in turning around failing schools by adopting this strategy, is remarkable.”

He refers to a recent trip to America and the UK which he says was “eye-opening”.

And while Coltart says he takes the recently concluded United Nations Development Programme research finding, that Zimbabwe is the most literate coountry in Africa, with a “pinch of salt”, he says as the country began to collapse, autonomy was passed to parents and teachers which resulted in continuous graduates of a high standard.

“The UNDP research was only conducted among school going children. Only one third of the children who enrol in our schools successfully graduate. That is an alarming statistic which we are working hard to turn around,” he says.

But that number is concomitant in South African schools as departmental statistics in 2011 reveal two thirds of those enrolled here also dropped out before Grade 12.

This year, for the first time in years, says Coltart, parents struggled to find places for their children in the country’s schools.

“They are coming back, in numbers, it’s wonderful.”

The country still adheres to the Cambridge qualification which is assessed outside the country, and Coltart says “we have never fudged the figures”.

Standards

“As I understand from my colleagues in South Africa, your government has watered down the pass rate, probably for political reasons, and played around with the curriculum. When I came into office four years ago, I told my department categorically, they must not drop the pass standards or fiddle with the curriculum.”

He says the political turmoil in the country, particularly during electioneering, has had a devastating effect on more than 3 million schoolgoing children.

“As a result we have this bubble coming through where we are seeing standards plummet. Our distinction rate at A and O levels has also declined.”

Coltart says the country has levels of assessment which include an exam at the end of Grade 7 when the children leave primary school.

“If we had fudged the Grade 7 results we wouldn’t have realised the major crisis we were facing. Those children were going through primary school when teachers had no textbooks.

“The literacy and numeracy levels at that level are now shocking. But we have implemented policies to bring the level up with extra teaching. We have come up with solutions which are already beginning to make a difference. But, it is like a tsunami; the earthquake happened way back and now it is wreaking havoc.”

But he says teachers and parents remain the saviours.

“Zimbabwe’s education system is still in crisis, our teaching profession is still in crisis, but our strength is that passion and deep-rooted love of learning. Because of that it is not going to take a huge effort to get us back to the standards of 1999.”

Coltart’s overriding goal for this year is to extend the curriculum and restore teaching as a profession.

“We will definitely still follow the Cambridge system, but we want to bring in (information and communication technologies), better sport facilities, civic, environmental and vocational curricula.”

He describes the system as overly academic.

“You know if you are a scientist, a mathematician or linguist in Zimbabwe you will get a great education, even today. But if you want to be a mechanic, a toolmaker or go into manufacturing there’s nothing. That’s not good for our economy.”

Similarly, says Coltart, the graduates have served mainly the export market.

“All our top pupils have gone into universities in South Africa or elsewhere in the world and very few come back. That is also not good for us.”

With a system that still allows corporal punishment, Coltart says discipline at schools is impeccable, but there are concerns over abuse.

“We need to refine the system where corporal punishment is only meted out when there are serious misdemeanours. We certainly don’t want to go to the other extreme. We have to keep that balance.”

And while he agrees billions of rand will be required to ultimately restore education facilities in Zimbabwe, Coltart says it will not be difficult to raise the funds.

“Spending less on defence, downsizing the government and strong measures against corruption must be implemented to allow for increased flows into treasury.”

But, he adds: “ Sadly there is just not the political will right now, so we will continue to muddle along. Hopefully the elections will not be too disruptive. From this month we start working on wide-ranging legislation which will consolidate and rationalise 30 years of ad hoc legislation.

We want to produce a legislation bible for schools which will give them more autonomy, less central control and focus on children’s rights to cut down on abuse. Children learn in our schools and we don’t want to change that.”

News Day

By Kholwani Nyathi

6 February 2013

There is no doubt Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart is one of the best performing ministers in the inclusive government and this makes the ongoing media onslaught against him rather curious. Coltart appears to have touched a raw nerve when he caused the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to issue a directive regarding the appointment of national selectors for different sports disciplines.

The directive confined the appointment of national selectors to ex-players who actually participated in their respective sport at international level and/or represented the country.

A clique in cricket that claims credit for the rapid integration of black Zimbabweans into the sport – which also saw the mass exodus of white players at the turn of the millennium – felt Coltart was unfairly targeting them.

Before the SRC directive NSA1/2013 could be debated – especially by other affected disciplines such as tennis and bowls, a media onslaught was already in full swing against the minister.

Critics chose the cheapest way to cloud the debate by labelling Coltart a racist.

Apparently in the poisoned Zimbabwean political environment it seems the easiest way to subdue someone is labelling them a racist or a tribalist.

Blaming all our misfortunes on racists and neo-colonialists is a pastime for our political leaders these days.

Labelling is a political tool and negative labels in this case could have been intentional.

Debate by the elite in the cricket establishment that has benefited a lot from the chaos that has dogged the sport in Zimbabwe for so long, has been intense, but based on negative labels on Coltart. This is obviously meant to disempower him.

Over a month since the directive was issued, the country is still not sufficiently informed about what Coltart sought to achieve because the debate has been so clouded by the unsubstantiated allegations of racism instead of explicating his intentions and what he hopes to achieve.

Zimbabwe has a string of talented former black players who can take up the roles envisaged by the minister and it is difficult to understand what this hullabaloo is all about.

I am not about to discount the fact that there could be racist elements in Zimbabwe cricket still bent on protecting their elitist interests.

Cricket, just like other sports, is becoming a hostage of politics and the vitriol being spewed by Zanu PF against Coltart just about betrays the grand strategy.

Once the minister has been successfully labelled a racist all his positive contribution to Zimbabwe sport and the education sector in his short four year term as a Cabinet minister will be forgotten.

Anyone who has been in Zimbabwe for the first time in the past weeks will not believe when told, that this is the same Coltart who inherited the education sector that was in extreme crisis between 2005-2009.

He found a number of schools closed and teachers spending most of their time on strike rather than in the classrooms. The majority of students had no textbooks.

Through the Education Transition Fund that Coltart spearheaded, doors returned to rescue the education sector.

The primary school pass rate that had dropped to 52% was last year up to 70%. Although as clearly shown by the recently released Zimbabwe School Examination Council Ordinary Level results; result pass rates still remain poor; there are still significant signs of recovery in the education sector.

Coltart has shown in many other ways that he is patriotic besides his commendable work in reviving the education sector.

His interaction on social networks with fellow Zimbabwean has also made him a cut above the rest in the current cabinet.

Those calling him a racist today are also making a mockery of Coltart’s track record as a human rights defender.

As a lawyer in newly independent Zimbabwe, he represented Zapu leaders such as the late Sydney Malunga, Edward Ndlovu, and Stephen Nkomo who were hounded by Zanu PF for their political beliefs. He also handled many other human rights cases stemming from Gukuruhundi genocide, which are hardly a hallmark of a racist.

Zanu PF might still be bitter about Coltart’s role in exposing the Gukuruhundi massacres, but that does not justify the lynching he is getting from the media.

There is still a chance to debate the SRC directive NSA1/2013 in a sober manner for the sake of all sports, which are likely to be strangulated by politics of intolerance.

News Day

6 February 2013

Last week the social media was inundated with results of the sons and daughters of the right and famous in Zimbabwe who had sat for Cambridge Ordinary Level examinations as their mothers and fathers brandished their chains of ‘A’s.

But despite our own Zimsec and education system rated as one of the best in Africa, the Ordinary Level results released this week paint a sorry picture. Statistics from Zimsec director Esau Nhandara show that only 31,767 pupils attained passes in five subjects out of 172,698 who sat for the public examinations. This translates to a mere 18.4%, down from last year’s 19.5%.

While many, including education minister David Coltart cannot celebrate this poor showing, a lot needs to be done to restore the education sector to its glory days on the continent and beyond.

Questions are being asked as to what is contributing to this downward trend in the sector and some have tried to sneak in lack of resources as the major reason. The government has been accused of not taking the education of its people seriously hence the paltry 18.4% pass rate we are witnessing.

UNICEF has tried to assist by providing textbooks and other necessitates but results on the ground are far more impressive.

Central government needs to do more to promote education in the country.

No doubt the education sector has been on a recovery post dolarisation, but more can still be done to return the country to the high standards that we have become accustomed to in the 1980’s. With an adult literacy rate of over 90%, which is among the highest in Africa, Zimbabwe can surely do more for its bright students who, given a chance, have gone beyond borders to prove their mettle.

Reviving the sector will need enormous financial, material and human resources. The country is yet to fully recover from the massive brain drain of qualified teachers and measures should be put in place to lure them back. In this regard, the recruitment freeze placed by the government does not help matters.

What we see and deduce from the current crop of teachers is that they are a disgruntled lot who now opt to work with the elite few who can pay for extra lessons and other incentives.

This crophas replaced the teachers we had become accustomed to. Those who could do something to make sure the pass rate, even at the poorest of schools, showed improvement should be given a chance to do so. If the government is serious about transforming the education sector and justifying why they rate Zimbabwe as the giant in African education, it is time to take funding seriously and equip teachers with necessary skills and remuneration to motivate them to do more.

Until then, ordinary Zimbabwean will resort to celebrating the sons and daughters of the right and famous who have abandoned their own Zimsec and opted for foreign education.

Nehanda Radio

6 February 2013

Zimbabwe was plunged into serious debate after 81.6 percent of children failed their 2012 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Ordinary Level examinations, a drop from the previous year’s equally shocking 80.5 percent.

Only 31,767 pupils out of 172,698 countrywide passed in five subjects with Zimsec attributing the decline to an increase in the number of students who registered for the exams, which went up by over 20,000 from last year.

Education, Sport and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart reacted to the news and gave the following reaction.

It is important to put the O level results in context. When I took office on the 13th February 2009 the O level exams had not even been marked, never mind announced. The O level pass rate for 2008 was 14.44% for the 207212 children who wrote.

The pass rate for 2012 is 18,4% for the 268854 children who wrote. So whilst these results are very serious they must be out in their proper context. Enormous damage has been done to our education system in the last decade.

For example we lost 20000 teachers in 2007 and 2008 and the damage done by that alone to a generation of children cannot be easily undone. Whilst we have made significant strides in stabilizing our education system much remains to be done.

The same applies to the other exams. For example in 2009, 272397 children wrote Grade 7 exams and the pass rate was 20.11%. That has now risen in 2012 to 292375 children writing and the pass rate is now 31.5%.

In 2008 33985 children wrote A levels with a pass rate of 67.21% which has risen in 2012 to 36678 children writing at a pass rate of 82.09%. This gradual overall progress has been achieved in an environment of minimal Government funding for education outside of the payment of teachers.

Whilst donor support through the Education Transition Fund has been generous it has been small compared to the amount of donor support the education sector got in the 1980s. For example in one year alone in the 1980s the US Government contributed over US$100 million to the education sector.

The total US Government support for the sector since I took office in 2009 has been US$1 million, and no support whatsoever has been forthcoming for the 2nd phase of the Education Transition Fund from that quarter.

The damage done to the education sector by the chaos of the last decade (and underfunding for two decades) is incalculable but we see the effects through these low pass rates.

It is going to take our collective, and sustained, effort as a Nation and increased international support if we are to restore excellence to our education sector.

There has been absolutely no discussion regarding the 2012 Grade 7 results. In 2011, 288365 children sat with a pass rate of 28.89%. In 2012 that went up to 292375 with a pass rate of 31.5%.

Relevant to this is the fact that we concentrated on the Primary sector first – for example we got text books out to the Primary sector in 2011. Textbooks for Secondary schools were only distributed at the end of 2011 and we are still in the process of completing that exercise.

So many of the children who wrote O levels last year at best only had textbooks in Form 4. Anyone who expects children to do well without textbooks simply doesn’t understand the basics of a good education system.

News Day

6 February 2013

EDUCATION, Sport and Culture minister David Coltart yesterday attributed the poor Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) 2012 “O” Level to the crisis that beset the education sector before the formation of the inclusive government.

The results generated a heated debate with a number of Zimbabweans calling for an overhaul of the education sector.

Coltart also said the decline in the pass rate was an indication that Zimsec had followed his instruction that standards must be maintained so that there is an accurate “view of the health of the education system.”

The pass rate for 2012 at 18,4% was marginally lower than that for 2011 which was at 19,5%.

Zimsec on Monday said the decline could be due to the increase in number of students who sat for the examinations.

“That the rate has fallen is primarily in my view a reflection of the extreme crisis in education experienced between approximately 2005 and 2009 when thousands of teachers left the service and many teaching days were lost,” Coltart said in a statement.

“Sadly, there is a batch of children going through the system whose education suffered during those years, and that is reflected in these results.”

Coltart also appeared to be backing the Zimsec theory that the decline could be as a result of the increased number of children writing the school-leaving examinations.

“There is one other major factor to consider — our “O” Levels are primarily academically orientated whereas many children are more practically orientated,” he said.

“Inevitably, this academic orientation results in many children failing whose talents are not academic. Whatever the case the results are a reminder that whilst there is still a lot of good in our education system, there is still much work to be done before we can say that we have restored excellence.”

The minister acknowledged the education sector remained in “crisis and it is going to take a sustained non-partisan effort to regain its status as the best in Africa.”

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said morale was low amongst teachers and government should give them better salaries.

“Results can only improve when teachers are at the top priority of the government,” he said.

A study by the Research and Advocacy Unit last year revealed that 70 000 teachers had fled political violence between 2000 and 2008.

Coltart has also said official figures indicated that 20 000 teachers were lost between 2007 and 2008 due to the economic crisis.  A Bulawayo-based university student Bernard Sibanda attributed the poor results to indiscipline at schools.

“During our schools days we used to be given corporal punishment if we failed to do our school homework,” he said.

“Now teachers can be sued for beating up students which makes it hard to instil discipline and ensure pupils concentrate on their studies.”

Zimbabwe’s sector once attracted students from neighbouring countries because of its high standards.

The Herald

6 February 2013

Educationists attributed the decline in the Ordinary Level pass rate to lack of motivation on teachers and an increase in untrained teachers that have flooded the education sector. Education, Sport, Arts

and Culture Minister David Coltart, however, blamed the drop on an increase in the number of candidates who sat for the examinations and the strict maintenance of the traditional pass mark by Zimsec.

The Zimsec November 2012 O-level results released this week showed that the pass rate had dropped from 19,5 percent to 18,4.

Only 31 767 candidates attained passes in five subjects out 172 698 who sat for the examinations.
The number of candidates increased by 11,3 percent as 268 854 candidates registered compared to 241 512 in 2011.

Minister Coltart said he had instructed Zimsec to mantain its traditional standards.

“I instructed Zimsec not to manipulate the pass rate mark to achieve what would appear to be a better national result, but which would in fact disguise the real picture,” he said.

“In South Africa, they allowed the matric pass mark to drop below 50 percent but we need consistency in our assessment of how children are perfoming.”

He said the declining pass rate was a reflection of the “extreme crisis” in education experienced between 2005 and 2009.

“We lost thousands of teachers and many teaching days were lost. Sadly, there is a batch of children going through the system whose education suffered during those years, and that is reflected in these results,” Minister Coltart said.

“Another reason for the decline may be the increase in numbers of children writing which can also result in a decline in the pass rate. “

However, educationists said most teachers were not dedicated to duty because of lack of motivation. “You can not exclude that teachers are not satisfied with their salaries,” said reknowned educationist Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who is the Zanu-PF Secretary for Education.

“They are sometimes on go-slow and threatening to strike meaning there will be no one in class to teach them.”

Dr Sibanda said a number of untrained teachers were manning most schools in the rural areas.

“There is a shortage of qualified educators.

“Mathematics and science subjects would remain problamatic because there is shortage of those teachers,” he said.

“Areas such as Matebaleland North and South have no qualified mathematics and science teachers and there is no way those pupils would pass the subjects.”

The bottom three subjects were English Language, Shona and Mathematics.

Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Manuel Nyawo said lack of textbooks and infrastructure had contributed to the decline in the pass rate. “The textbooks came under Unicef but they came late.

“There is also no infrastructure and equipment for science subjects and there is no way pupils would record high passes in such subjects,” he said.

“As long as Government does not review the salaries of teachers, we see a situation where the pass rates will continue dropping.”

The three top subjects were Ndebele, Business Studies and Biology.

ESPN Cricinfo

By Firdose Moonda

6 February 2013

Zimbabwe’s captain Brendan Taylor has labelled it a “step in the wrong direction” that coaching support staff will not travel with the team to the Caribbean for their series against West Indies later this month.

A change to the technical structure of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has resulted in smaller touring parties from now on. As a result, batting coach Grant Flower, bowling coach Heath Streak and fitness trainer Lorraine Chivandire will not travel with the side but will be involved in their pre-tour preparations. Zimbabwe have not played a Test or ODI since their tour of New Zealand in January and February 2012 and will be short of match practice.

“It’s a massive concern not having Grant, Heath and Lorraine with us for the upcoming tour to the West Indies,” Taylor said on his Facebook page. “For me personally as a captain and a batter, and I can speak on behalf of the others in the side, we are taking steps in the wrong direction by doing this.”

Taylor was particularly worried about the absence of Flower, who was playing with the team until September 2010, and has since been in charge of the batsmen. Flower’s dedication and experience, Taylor said, will be missed.

“We will never have a guy like Grant Flower ever again as a batting coach and this is how he is being treated. His work ethic is second to none. He is qualified as a level 4 coach (can’t get any higher). I recall times where he has thrown to the guys from 9am through to 5pm for weeks on end. You might say that is his job, but no one will do it better.

“The bit of success that myself and others have had over the past couple of years, I put that down to Grant Flower. People are saying the preparation should have been done prior to the tour, that’s correct. But preparation on tour is vital too, let alone their knowledge, advice and their experience that could be shared on a daily basis.”

Despite Taylor’s anxiety, he promised to lead the team as best he could but called for ZC to reconsider its new policy. “In saying this, all we hope is to do everyone proud and sincerely appreciate your support. Let’s hope changes are made,” he said.

When the country’s sports minister, David Coltart, quoted the message, he asked Taylor whether the post was originally his. Taylor responded in the affirmative and said he “felt I had to say my view to all people. I am very concerned.”

Coltart later told ESPNcricinfo: “I am concerned to note that although Zimbabwe Cricket state that they had consulted the players prior to making this decision it appears as if they did not, at the very least, consult the captain. Be that as it may I think that all measures possible need to be taken to build a cohesive spirit within the team in the build up to the tour to the West Indies, and I encourage Zimbabwe Cricket to bear that in mind in all the decisions they make.

“Given the concerns raised by the captain, concerns which the captain states are shared by the rest of the players, I trust that Zimbabwe Cricket will take their views into account and review this decision in the best interests of both cricket and Zimbabwe. This tour is not just about cricket but about the positive branding of Zimbabwe as a nation. For that reason it is imperative that Zimbabwe Cricket always act in the national interest.”

Taylor is one of the four Zimbabwean players currently at the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Charles Coventry and Hamilton Masakadza are the other two who are a part of the squad to tour West Indies, while Elton Chigumbura was dropped from the national side. Although the tournament ends on February 19, a day before Zimbabwe’s only warm-up match before the ODI series, the players will not leave the BPL early. They will fly directly to West Indies in time for the first ODI on February 22.

The tour is Zimbabwe’s first full tour since their trip to New Zealand and is Alan Butcher’s last as head coach. His contract expires in April and he has chosen not to reapply for his job. Flower is one of three candidates who were interviewed to replace Butcher. Assistant coach Stephen Mangongo, who is going on the West Indies tour, and Andy Waller, the former national batsman who coached Namibia, are the other two contenders for the job.

New Zimbabwe

5 February 2013

EDUCATION Minister David Coltart on Tuesday blamed the disappointing November 2012 Ordinary Level examination results on the “extreme crisis in education experienced between approximately 2005 and 2009”.

Results released on Monday showed 81,6 percent of the 172,698 who sat for the examinations failed to pass at least five subjects with grade C or better.

Despite increased investment in education and a massive drive financed by UNICEF to supply textbooks to schools, the 2012 pass rate was down from 19,5 percent in 2011.

In 2010, the pass rate was 16,5 percent when 229,522 pupils sat examinations, down from 19,33 percent in 2009 when just 87,201 were examined.

Faced with the shocking numbers, Coltart admitted the only positive was that more and more children were sitting examinations after a decade-long economic crisis devastated the education sector and led to massive drop-outs and teacher flight.

Curiously, Coltart took partial CREDIT for the low pass rate, stating: “The decline in the pass rate is an indication that ZIMSEC have followed my instruction that standards are to be maintained so that we have an accurate idea of the health of our education system.”

“Sadly there is a batch of children going through the system whose education suffered during those years when thousands of teachers left the service and many teaching days were lost, and that is reflected in these results,” Coltart said.

“Another reason for the decline may be the increase in numbers of children writing which can also result in a decline in the pass rate.”

The minister is demanding a major shake-up of the curriculum to ensure that pupils who are unsuccessful academically have a fall-back.

“Our O’ Levels are primarily academically orientated whereas many children are more practically orientated. Inevitably, this academic orientation results in many children failing whose talents are not academic,” the minister said in a statement.

“This was a flaw recognised by the Nziramazanga Commission in 1999 which we are now seeking to address through the programme of comprehensive review and reform of our curriculum which is now under way.”

In a sobering verdict, Coltart said: “Whatever the case, the results are a reminder that whilst there is still a lot of good in our education system there is still much work to be done before we can say that we have restored excellence.

“The Zimbabwean education sector remains in crisis and it is going to take a sustained non partisan effort to regain its status as the best in Africa.”

Sunday News

By Stanford Chiwanga

3 February 2013

Zimbabwe is set to hold elections this year where the majority of citizens are expected to vote into power a political party that they deem to possess the ideal principles to lead the country into an era of sustained development and harmony.

It is a fact that the existence of an ideal political party is a myth, no party can be perfect, but there is many a political party that can be said to be the best thing to perfection. Such a party would have core values that make it the best party in in the land.

 As we get closer and closer to elections it is predictable that each political party contesting the elections will claim to be of the people, for the people and by the people. Finger pointing will begin that this and that party does not have the people at heart. The parties will question each other manifestos and stand on high ground claiming to be the ideal political party. All parties will go out to assert that their policies stem from the core values of the nation. The onus will be on Zimbabweans to discern the truth from fiction.

But which of Zimbabwe’s main political parties can be said to be the nearest thing to an ideal political party?

Is there a political party that recognizes the core values that set Zimbabwe apart from other counties? Is there a party that is aware that as much as Zimbabwe has an entire universe of values, there are other values that are so primary, so important that no matter the direction the country takes- socially, economically and politically- those principles remain?

In a survey by Lets Talk, the data collected revealed that the majority of people, despite their different political inclinations, believe that Zimbabwe is a sovereign state and any party that claims to be for Zimbabweans needs to jealously guard that sovereignty. They also said the ideal party also needs to recognize the role that the liberation struggle played in securing majority rule.

The near-perfect-party would be patriotic and not allow Zimbabwe to a colony or a neo-colony of another country. No matter what stands in its way such a party would not sell Zimbabwe for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver.

An ideal party, to quote the Bible, should “not be quick to shed blood”, but should promote and preserve peace and unity among the different races and tribes that are inhabitants of Zimbabwe. It would respect cultural diversity.

Such a party would be the first to admit that in a country with a population that runs into millions, diverse political leanings are a reality. Instead of trying to silence those with political views that party would allow those dissimilar voices to be heard. In a nutshell such a party believes in democracy.

It would respect freedom of religion and would not suppress freedom of expression. It would respect life and property. In short it would value and promote the respect of human rights.

An ideal party for Zimbabwe would know that homosexuality is not a human right. It would condemn and discourage all sexual deviances. In fact it would make such bizarre behaviours, which are an affront to Zimbabwe’s culture, acts of crime.

Without a shadow of doubt an ideal political party can be said to be one that is concerned about the welfare of it people. It would not only want but would act to indigenise the economy and empower the people of Zimbabwe.

When the [political parties that are in existence in Zimbabwe today were created they convinced themselves and are forever caught in a vicious cycle to convince Zimbabweans that they are the ideal party. Today the questions still remain- what type of issues would be important to these parties and why? What makes each of the parties think that they could serve the interests of Zimbabwe better than the other parties?

Zanu-PF Deputy spokesperson and Governor and Resident Minister of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Cde Cain Mathema believes that the closest thing to the definition of a political party is Zanu-PF.

“An ideal political party had people at heart; it is guided by the will of the majority. It is a unifying party and it suffers when it sees people fighting among themselves. It empowers it s people and ensures that the resources of its country are under the control of the citizenry. It allows democracy to flourish. It believes in the rule of the majority. If a minority rules it goes all out to liberate the majority from the yoke of the few. In short, an ideal political party can be defined as Zanu-PF,” said Cde Mathema.

Mr Edwin Ndlovu the Bulawayo Province MDC spokesperson defines an ideal political party as one that believes in democracy and economic growth.

“The ideal political party that Zimbabwe deserves is the one with democratic principles , the one which promotes peace and brings both political and economic stability, the party that can bring investment to the country. We need a good manager for this country. We do not want a party that ‘teaches history’ but which brings bread and butter to the table,” said Mr Ndlovu.

MDC-T Harare Province spokesperson and Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Mr Obert Gutu said there was no ideal political party anywhere in the world, in his eyes all parties, since they are led by imperfect humans, are flawed.

He said: “In the world of mortals where some of us live, there is nothing like an ideal political party. Human beings are not perfect so I am not going mislead the readers by purporting that we can have a so-called ideal political party. I will not hide the world of escapism and talk about idealism.

“I will only talk about realism. Zimbabwe is a young democratizing nation that is, certainly, in need of modern, democratic and well managed political parties. Thus, an ideal political party should be one that shuns dictatorship, corruption, gerontocracy and greed. This type of party should appreciate and understand the basic norm of dialectical materialism that is, nothing lasts forever and also the old inevitably collapses into the new.”

History ahs proved that most political parties before they get into power promise the electorate miracles. The parties do and say whatever they must to win. When on the campaign trail politicians fool the pwople into thinking that their interest s would be best served by them. The problem is they don’t mean every word they give. When in power many a political party reexamines its policies and throws out people centred policies in favour of measures that protect the interests of the internationalcommunity and foreign investors.

This split personality has, throughout history, fueled the belief that no political party can ever be ideal. Perfectio,n in politics, is a myth. It is no wonder that politics is seen as a dirty game. Polticial parties have a chameleon attitude and they never change.

Cde Mathema is of the standing that Zanu PF is divorced from such political parties that do not fulfill promises made to the electorate. He is convinced that Zanu PF is the only party that is working for the good of Zimbabwe.

“All political parties are formed by a class that is aggrieved by what is happening in their era. The formed political parties serves the interests of the group that formed it or the people it was created to represent. Zanu PF is a party that was formed to liberate the black majority and it did that. It aimed to gain power so that it would achieve the total independence of Zimbabwe. The total independence we refer to covers all aspects of life, socially, economically, and politically. WE have achieved political independence though the imperialists want to colonize us again. Socially we are getting there. Economically the social continues as we indigenize the economy and empower our people.”

“We chose unity over tribalism and civil war. In other words we are the ideal party for Zimbabwe. Compare us with MDC-T; it is a party of the British imperialists while represented in Zimbabwe by the remaining Rhodesians who have put black fronts who masquerade as a democratic political party. The MDC-T is a bourgeoisie party. It is made of sell outs who do not appreciate that Zimbabwe was born of bloodshed. They do not believe that Zimbabweans can build the country on their own. They do not support the land reform programme, the indigenization and empowerment programme.” Said Cde Mathema.

But Mr Ndlovu is adamant that MDC is the ideal party for Zimbabwe. He said that his party, if given the power to govern, would fulfill all the social, political and economical needs of Zimbabwe.

“ The country needs a result orientated party like MDC lead by Professor Welshman Ncube. Our leaders proved themselves in the inclusive government. Minister (David) Coltart, (Priscilla) Mushonga, (Moses) Mzila, and Prof Ncube did wonders in the inclusive government. Before the inclusive government textbooks were with teachers only. But now each and every pupil has a textbook. Coltart also managed to forge a good working relationship with teachers and made them go back to the classrooms.”

“Minister Ncube brought smiles back to the people of KweKwe and Redcliff by looking for investors for Zisco steel although some creatures with evil minds are trying to reserve the deal with ESSAR. Madam Mushonga successfully engaged the Western world and the EU over challenges affecting the country including the removal of sanctions.” Mister Ndlovu said.

Mister Ndlovu added that MDC was “people-centred” party that has no self serving interests.

He said: “Honest people within COPAC would tell you that she fought very hard for women’s seats, devolution of power, and so called minority languages. Minister Mzila was the lone voice in the Ministry of National Healing. Given a bigger mandate by the people we can do more. Even during the formation of this government when others were fighting for security ministries we negotiated for social ministries.”

“Our programmes are people centred as we have been rehabilitating schools across the country. We have a principled leader in Prof Ncube who has never indicated left to turn right. We urge the people of Zimbabwe to vote for us and give us a clean and clear mandate to govern this country as we have able leaders in our party who have proved that they can deliver.”

Mr Gutu said MDC-T is a party that is concerned about the welfare of Zimbabweans and is convinced that only the MDC has the clue of what needs to be done to turn around the fortunes of Zimbabwe,

“The MDC is the present and the future of Zimbabwe politics. We have policies, such as the recently launched Juice, that resonate with the aspirations of the ordinary people. We are a pro-poor labour-based party that clearly understands what has to be done to turn around the political and socio-economic fortunes of the country. Our competitors, mainly Zanu PF has become like the dinosaur or the Dodo of Mauritius; they have dismally failed to evolve and adapt to the demands of the modern political tapestry. I can bet my bottom dollar that ZANU PF will soon collapse into small and insignificant little parties based on factionalism. Mark my words.”

“Zanu PF is a party in terminal decline and inevitably it is heading towards extinction. On the other hand, the MDC lead by Morgan Tsvangirai oozes with youthful dynamism and intellectual vibrancy. This is a party that is not a personality cult. The MDC is a social democratic party that appreciates that everything is in constant change mode. Put simply, the MDC, while appreciating the need to link with our past history, also notes that there is, at all times, the need to engage the future and seek to harmonize it with the people’s aspirations. Zanu PF is archaic club of old men and women who seem to have absolutely no clue as to what the future needs of the nation are. Zanu PF is morbidly trapped and lost in the past. They have absolutely no hope of reinventing themselves so that they can successfully engage the future.” Mr Gutu said.