Source: Anger over plan to close schools – DailyNews Live
Jeffrey Muvundusi and Mugove Tafirenyika 25 May 2017
HARARE – Ill-conceived plans by the government to close 40 schools in
Matabeleland South, on account of dwindling enrolments, have triggered
outrage among ordinary Zimbabweans and civil society groups alike.
This comes as teachers have also called for a re-think on the government’s
moves to introduce a new curriculum, which has apparently resulted in some
parents in Matabeleland withdrawing their children from local schools,
preferring the South African and Botswana education systems.
In the shocking move on Monday, the ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education announced that it was planning to close 40 schools in
Matabeleland South, citing low enrolments and a lack of teachers.
Rather ill-advisedly, the government also claimed that it was
“uneconomical” to continue running the schools targeted for closure.
As expected, the move has not gone down well with both local residents and
civil society groups accusing the government of being insensitive to the
plight of the poor, and the people of Matabeleland in particular, who have
long felt marginalised by the State.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson, Dumisani Nkomo, said the move
would be challenged vigorously.
“This move smacks of further alienation, discrimination and
marginalisation of an already exploited region.
“We reiterate our position that we are vehemently opposed to the closing
of schools to the already historical disadvantaged regions of
Matabeleland.
“We will not stand by idly as the rights of children are violated. We call
upon our members to resist this insane move.
“It is frivolous and vexatious for the government to claim that these
schools are not viable when the government is presiding over more than 50
loss-making parastatals and yet these loss-making entities are still dear
to government,” Nkomo said.
He also said the government’s decision was a flagrant violation of section
75 of the Constitution, which ensured the right to education, as well as
section 81 which upheld children’s rights.
The Community Development Trust (CDT) also described the decision to close
the schools as “totally unacceptable as it violates the children’s right
to education”.
“This is based on a flawed, outdated and ill-conceived policy of one
teacher to 40 students, which is a `one-size-fits-all’ policy that does
not consider differences in settlement patterns and population sizes of
various communities of Zimbabwe and in Matabeleland.
“In this policy directive, the ministry … did not consider the best
interests of the children but its own administrative interests, which is
wrong,” CDT director Nkululeko Tshuma said.
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza) director, Jenni Williams, who has had
several run-ins with the government, also had no kind words for
authorities.
“It is clear that government is taking Gukurahundi to the education sector
now. As someone from this region, we have long faced marginalisation and
some of us believe de-industrialisation was an evolved form of
Gukurahundi.
“Note the manner in which it (Gukurahundi) has come in another format to
the education sector, where firstly they send teachers who cannot teach in
the mother tongue, thereby reducing the ability of kids to learn and
secondly under-deploying teachers to schools in this region,” the
outspoken Williams told the Daily News.
The Abammeli Lawyers for Human Rights also described the move as
unconstitutional.
“The government cannot close schools just like that. They have to follow
administrative rules. This is a violation of the Constitution
“There must be consideration of transparency, accountability and
reasonability. They have to consult the people first because honestly you
can make a kid walk for about 20 kilometres and that alone makes the
decision to be unreasonable,” its coordinator, Tineyi Mukwewa, said.
Meanwhile, teachers have said the low enrolment in some parts of
Matabeleland was a consequence of the new school curriculum which had seen
parents withdrawing their children from schools and taking them to
neighbouring South Africa and Botswana in protest.
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