The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Saturday, August 5, 1995 — Parents have to revert to their culture to stem the globalisation of social values which has widened the generation gap and contributed to the shunning of tradition by the youth, the deputy Minister of Public Construction and National Housing, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni, said yesterday.

Speaking at an annual speech and prize-giving ceremony at Mpopoma High School in Bulawayo, Cde Nyoni, who is also the Member of Parliament for Makokoba, urged parents to work hand in hand with teachers to groom students for a better future.

She challenged students and parents to come up with ways to solve the country’s problems through contributions to society.

She advised parents against “surrendering” their children to schools and colleges as they needed their guidance. Students should take education seriously and use secondary education as a stepping stone to greater heights, not an end, said Mrs Nyoni.

“If you fail your examinations, take it as a starting point and not the end. Use it to achieve more, with that starting point build a future,” she said.

Cde Nyoni said according to statistics, 250 000 children loitered in the streets of Zimbabwe and their salvation had to come from the new generation. She said students should strive to become leaders of tomorrow to replace the present leadership but warned against the abuse of power.

The deputy Minister expressed concern at the disturbances at the University of Zimbabwe and urged parents to instil a culture of dialogue in their children to avoid similar situations in future. She said the problem of riots should be viewed as a national problem which calls for condemnation by parents, who should work together with teachers to redress it.