Zimbabwe's Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart (pictured) has invited Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom to be key players in the “Centre of excellence” programme and in writing “objective and non-partisan history books on Zimbabwe.”
Senator Coltart, a minister in the coalition government was speaking to the Zimbabwe Diaspora Focus Group (ZDFG); a coalition of UK based Zimbabwean organisations in London Tuesday 20th July.
Senator Coltart is visiting the UK where he will address parliamentarians, Her Majesty’s Government and potential donors on the state of the education system in Zimbabwe.
He told the ZDFG meeting that Zimbabwe was losing an entire generation due to the run down system. His ministry had started a programme where two schools in every province have been identified for deliberate development into centres of excellence.
“In Matabeleland North for example, we have chosen Binga and Fatima to be centres of excellence. We are going to put resources into these schools, identify intelligent disadvantaged children in the region and send them to these schools,” Senator Coltart said.
He went on: “The Diaspora has a role be it as part of Old school associations or as organisations to resource these schools.”
Senator Coltart asked the Diaspora community not to limit their input to the identified centres of excellence but assist any schools or educational institutions of their choice.
He pointed out that Zimbabwe’s curriculum needed to be reviewed and he would soon be announcing a board to run ZIMSEC, a body in charge of curriculum and examinations.
It has been widely argued by many Zimbabweans over the years that the history of Zimbabwe is not truly reflected by the material in use in schools.

Senator Coltart said: “Zimbabwe now needs history books that are non-partisan, non-racial and reflect the true history of the country.  “I look at the Diaspora as having knowledgeable and skilled people who can write these books and be part of the curriculum review.”
On teachers and human right issues, Senator Coltart, a former human rights lawyer in Bulawayo himself, said he wanted to see human right awareness in schools, but the challenge would be to work with the Ministry of higher education which was responsible for teachers’ colleges. He is working to ensure that no schools are used for any activity, such as bases that may be viewed as promoting abuse of human rights.
Senator Coltart admitted that the working conditions for teachers in Zimbabwe were difficult with the majority of schools in rural areas not having sanitation, proper accommodation and basic necessities.
“However, I am desperate to remedy the situation and need Zimbabwean teachers who are abroad to come home at some point and work again.”

The Senator was advised of the desperate situation and de-skilling among Zimbabwean qualified teachers who are currently “in limbo” in the UK by Sarah Harland of the Zimbabwe Association, a member organisation of the ZDFG.
In his response, Senator Coltart said: “I would like to meet Zimbabwean teachers based here in the UK to discuss issues as they may raise.”
The ZDFG chair Lucia Dube confirmed that discussions were underway to enable former teachers to meet with the Minister on the August in London.

ZDFG Secretariat