#SaveOurEducationZW: THE ROAD TO VICTORY
By Robson Chere | Revolutionary greetings comrades we are living in difficult, trying and abnormal times, Covid19 is causing so much distress to an already distressed society, the nation we call Zimbabwe, our pride and joy. Alas the pride that used to exist is no longer there just a memory and the joy has already deserted our nation, people dying from Covid19 is a worldwide daily horror but if we are to call a spade a spade the horror would have been lessened if we had a more focused government that is pro people, democratic and service delivery centered, we have a crippled health system that should have been given serious priority over the years and now people are failing to access basic healthcare to help them cope with the difficulties associated with the Corona Virus and hence a high death toll.
Our Education Sector has endured so much battering and assault that not only has it dropped standards but it is now in comatose state due to a pitiless regime that is only focused on looting and amassing personal wealth at the expense of the nation. Our government position on education is very clear, “ They don’t care,” especially the rural school system is in so much distress, some schools exist only in name because if you care to look at the infrastructure it is dilapidated or non- existent with lessons being conducted under trees as if we are still in 18th century Zimbabwe. It takes heart, courage and determination of our teachers to teach in such kind of school setups for as ambassadors of education we will not sit down and watch the education sector being left to die and rot by supposedly responsible authorities who do not even have an iota of responsibility and care.
Now they have criminalized trade Unionism and made it a crime to demand a living wage from your employer, the problem with this government is that they see every situation as a nail that deserves a hammer when dialogue and positive response is the only logical way. We understand the notion not to get on the wrong side of small- minded people with a little authority but we are on the right side of the normal and we will not tire of reminding through quiet diplomacy or vocal diplomacy. A radical shift is necessary to effect a revolution within our education sector if we are to save it from certain death, as teachers, learners and indeed the whole of Zimbabwe we should amplify our voices to demand change, where there is a will there is a way, if they close one road we will open another till Uhuru.
The state has been amplifying their heavy- handed response to dissenting voices of reason in order to instill fear but fear is a feeling not a permanent state, if we choose to conquer we should choose to conquer fear. As teachers we declared Incapacitation as a genuine call for serious change but our calls fell on deaf and unrepentant ears, the teaching profession has lost value, dignity and character because a teacher’s salary is way below the poverty datum line.
Now our government has adopted a command approach on education however whilst a command approach can work on agriculture it cannot work on education, SIMPLE. Teachers and learners were exposed to death when the government commanded schools to be opened and the rate of infections in schools rose alarmingly and a number of deaths were recorded because they refused to listen to the advice of health professionals and relevant stakeholders and also basic common sense and now it seems like they learnt nothing and forgot everything as they also commanded exams to continue even in the threat of a deadly second wave of Covid19 and the results have been catastrophic.
We have come to a point were we must be our own saviours and serve society by saving the education sector, we should provide comprehensive and sound reforms and implement them, let us not just be the preachers of change but we should be the change we want to see. We should not fail future generations because we were afraid to effect change in our capacity as ambassadors of education and the greater community of Zimbabwe.
Way Forward
Tommorrow is a Revolutionary mandate to heed the call for action through protest.
How to Protest?
Citizens and teachers are urged to participate in a two fold protest, one fold is the “ Education Relay Protest” and the second fold “ Education Service Protest.”
Education Relay Protest
This is an online protest under which an individual raises a clear demand on education through either a placard or just a typed message. The individual protestor relays the message to 10 more citizens who are tagged and invited to help amplify the message to get attention from duty bearers. Messages are directed to the President of Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Each of the 10 protestors who were tagged is expected to relay the message to 10 more protestors.
We have to sustain the chain until we get a response from duty bearers.
Education Service Protest.
Under the education service protest citizens are expected to provide education services in an area of expertise. The rationale of the protest is that in the absence of tangible government support of education we can still work together as citizens and share information. Duty bearers want to keep the population ignorant so that the people can be easily manipulated.
We reject ignorance and we should strive to educate each other. The education content should include formal curriculum content for learners, homeschooling mentoring for parents, civic education to other citizens and more particularly awareness on COVID19.
We call upon the citizens of Zimbabwe to join the #SaveOurEducationZW campaign tomorrow 29 January 2021.
We demand the implementation of our proposed ADAPT education blue print to save education from collapse. Join the protest and send a message to duty bearers.
SaveOurEducationZW
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
LET US ADD OUR VOICES TOMORROW
DEMO DEMO DEMO
ALUTA CONTINUA
CDE ROBSON ‘NIKITA’ CHERE