The Sunday Mail
Dr Ignatius Chombo
This great success did not come by accident – it’s due to the deliberate educational policies of the Zanu-PF Government under the visionary leadership of President RG Mugabe. He poured resources into the education sector to create relevant and skilled manpower for the country. President Mugabe’s continuous efforts to align education to current trends in the world are evident in a number of interventions that are targeted at improving the education sector.
These include the new curriculum review to equip graduates with critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, good communication, team building and technological skills.
With such educational exposure, Zimbabwe has created a nation of thinkers and intellectuals. Neighbouring countries and many institutions of higher learning the world over boast of Zimbabwean intellectuals amongst their staff.
Regional and international conferences display Zimbabwe’s talent and educational products for all to see. The President’s focus on education has made Zimbabwe the envy of many nations.
Zimbabwean graduates are leading the development of many countries through their superior skills and contribution to research. This intellectual capital has created jobs across the globe and this is why President RG Mugabe is admired by many throughout the world.
Through the able leadership of President RG Mugabe, Zimbabwe registered a phenomenal increase in the number of primary and secondary schools, vocational training centres, polytechnics, teacher training colleges and universities. Enrolment in these institutions has gone up and the gender gap has been narrowed in a significant way.
Girls have benefited from the equal access to education which was made possible by President RG Mugabe, not just because he is a former teacher but he is aware of the value of empowering female students.
Education has thus been used as an equalisation tool and this falls in line with the UN and Zanu-PF’s policy of equal access to education for all. Female students have excelled and have even surpassed their male counterparts in many areas. These “Mugabe-must-go” protests have become a career for many and a means to generate income from hostile Western powers.
This “agitative” political entrepreneurship created chaos and mayhem in Libya, Syria and Yemen. The continued and unwavering support for President RG Mugabe by Zimbabweans is easily attributable to his visionary leadership and the ability to strategise for the future.
Education has legitimised, challenged and transformed social relations, and emancipated Zimbabweans to reclaim their sovereignty and self-determination. Cde Mugabe’s wise leadership has remained a beacon of inspiration, aspiration and hope.
President RG Mugabe has a five-year tenure up to 2018 that came through a democratic process of an election and he will not abdicate his commitment to serve the people of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans are grateful to President RG Mugabe for his deliberate bias towards educational development resulting in his re-election time and time and time again.
And education is one of the many reasons why we shall vote for President RG Mugabe again come 2018. Dr Ignatius Chombo is the Zanu-PF National Secretary for Administration and Minister of Home Affairs
