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Killing the future, today
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
October 11, 2005

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition wishes to highlight its serious concern on the state of the education sector in Zimbabwe. The gross underfunding of the sector and the politicisation of state institutions is a worrying development that does not only threaten the future of Zimbabwe, but reverses the gains of our struggle.

Despite having received the largest fiscal vote in the 2005 national budget, education funds were wiped out by inflation which, if the government were serious, would have brought relief in the mid term fiscal review policy statement of August 2005.

Teachers continue to get $3million dollars as salaries against a monthly poverty line of $6.5million dollars. The fundamental point of worry is the rhetoric that the government has no money when the same government plans to dish out an unbudgeted $36 billion to ex-detainees and more than $80 billion to the senate. From this analysis, we conclude that the government is no longer concerned about Zimbabwe’s future but merely the survival of Zanu PF party, hence the patronising gratuities and senate seats.

State Institutions, especially colleges and universities have succumbed to Zanu- PFs patronage trap. Lecturers and students who celebrate the idea of universality and advancing the frontiers of knowledge are subject to reproach and expulsion from various institutions. The Midlands State University (MSU) and the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) are the most notorious institutions known for not tolerating free minds and research.

Recently, the student union’s representatives from the two institutions have faced various forms of torture. Six UZ student leaders were expelled from their residences after highlighting the plight of more than 200 students that were sleeping in common rooms, dysfunctional toilets and general hunger among the students union.

The government’s actions are like killing the future of Zimbabwe today. Education ensures the progress of Zimbabwe in future and the extermination and shrinking of education means seriously destabilizing Zimbabwe’s tomorrow.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition calls upon the Zanu PF government to safeguard education, a gain of the liberation struggle. Education practitioners must be fairly remunerated progressively to address the hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. Similarly, the quashing of free minds in the students union is retrogressive as all progressive and developed nations thrive on ideas and not force.

The ministries of education are called upon to guard our independence and save the quality with which Zimbabwe’s education was known. Using schools, univerisities and colleges as instruments of control and manipulation does not work as students, teachers and lecturers are thinkers and not mere iron tools that can be fabricated at any slight force.

Issued by:

Dr Elizabeth Marunda
Crisis Coalition Spokesperson

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