Govt donates computers to Headlands school
VICE PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Communication Technologies and Courier Services, yesterday donated 100 state-of-the-art computers to Batanai Primary School in Headlands.
The school caters for pupils in resettlement areas.
VP Mnangagwa, who was meant to officially hand over the classroom blocks built with assistance from the District Development Fund (DDF), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Makoni Rural District Council and parents, was represented by Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavhima.
Receiving the blocks, Prof Mavhima said his ministry chipped in with the cement, while parents contributed all locally available materials and labour, to fast-track construction of a computer laboratory at the school.
Batanai Primary has an enrolment of 482 pupils, which leaves it with a computer-pupil ratio of 1:5, which is above the norm even at established former Group A schools.
VP Mnangagwa said parents and those in the Diaspora should partner Government by investing in education.
The Vice President challenged schools across the country to embrace the curriculum pathway structure introduced by the education ministry.
VP Mnangagwa said the curriculum framework, which has already been endorsed by Cabinet, sought to introduce technology, engineering and mathematics, creative arts, technical vocational education, e-teaching and e-learning, holistic sports and culture, learner welfare and sustainable environment management.
“Every student, from ECD (Early Child Development) should have an opportunity to learn computers as enshrined in the updated curriculum being implemented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” said the VP in his speech.
“The (new) curriculum framework has already been endorsed by Cabinet and is already underway. It seeks to ensure that our education system has the following among others, that is critical thinking, problem solving, leadership development and communication skills, team-building, and a positive attitude,” he said.
“We must never lose sight of the fact that critical thinking, problem solving and technological skills combined in such a way to cultivate innovation, research, inventiveness and value and development, which are invaluable ingredients for value addition which we desperately need as a country,” said VP Mnangagwa.
He added that the updated curriculum equipped learners with relevant knowledge and robust skills for self-empowerment.
He said students should acquire life skills to create employment unlike in the past when they used to acquire grades to be considered for jobs.
“The new curriculum will see the introduction of subjects like agriculture, languages, ICT, science, mathematics and statistics at an earlier age in schools.
“More importantly, the changes are in conformity with the new trajectory of accelerated economic and wealth creation as espoused in the economic blueprint, Zim-Asset and the 10 Point Plan enunciated by His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Cde R G Mugabe,” said VP Mnangagwa.
The education ministry was tasked to establish a secondary school in the area to avoid the current situation where students travelled nearly 20km to the nearest secondary school.
The Minister of Energy and Power Development Dr Samuel Undenge, who is also the Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman, said he would make sure all schools in Headlands were connected to the grid.
Batanai Primary started operating in tobacco barns in 2004 and construction of the infrastructure was completed in 2014.
The school was electrified in 2016.