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Stephen Mpofu, Perspective
“Hurray, Hurray! It is being done at long last and may God’s great operating grace both help and propel Zimbabwe’s destiny by our Government for an increasingly prosperous and secure economy.”

The above is this communicologists response and that of univerted patriots to the State’s decision finally to pay fees for teachers’ children as both an incentive and support for people responsible for the high quality education that Zimbabwe continues to flaunt on the African continent.

Earlier this week a disgruntled teacher complained in an interview with one local radio station about what he called the delay by the Government to implement its promise of paying fees for up to a teacher’s three children.

The teacher who was not named said further that when the money was finally paid it should go into a parent teacher’s account for its administration by the latter.

But 2 days ago, another teacher known to this writer in Masvingo province said that teachers had already received communication from the Government to the effect that 20 000RTGS will be paid for one up to three children of a teacher and that the money would go to the account of the school in point.

Direct payment of fees to a child’s school appears to suggest that the Government fears that the money might not be used for its intended purpose if sent to a parent’s account.

But anyway, how will the State ensure or guarantee without DNA test being conducted that the fees do not benefit a teacher’s non-biological offspring?

Right now teachers across the nation want their employer to better their pay in order for the service deliverers to meet or offset economic challenges our country is facing mainly due to the West’s diabolic economic sanctions imposed soon after Independence to try to remove Zanu(PF) from power as punishment for introducing land reform under which farms were repossessed from white settler farmers for redistribution to blacks in greater need of the economic asset.

A decision just announced by the Government to subsidise public examination fees for students in public schools no doubt comes as a relief for cash-strapped parents eager to educate their children to higher levels of education for a better future in a better Zimbabwe.

Teaching profession

The payment of fees must entice more Zimbabweans to go into the teaching profession in the knowledge that the State will lend a hand in the education of their children and the shortage of teachers nationwide will no doubt be eased.

A slogan is in purview today to the effect that “a country is built by its owners”.

Which also therefore suggests that quality education and better developmental skills are by-products of collective national initiatives for brave new futures.