Zimpapers Logo

Paidamoyo Chipunza, Harare Bureau

Everyone has a role to play in improvement of access and retention of learners in the education system for the achievement of quality teaching and learning for optimal outcomes, First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

Speaking at an official launch of the Zimbabwe Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) model, it’s monitoring and evaluation reporting framework and handover of first aid kits held at Blackfordby Primary School in Southlea Park yesterday, where she was guest of honour, Amai Mnangagwa said the CSTL initiative was critical in addressing barriers towards achieving the learning environment.

These barriers include, but are not limited to poverty, food insecurity and conditions such as HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.

“Everybody has a contribution to make in showing care and support to every learner in all our schools,” said the First Lady. “I am reliably informed about the sterling efforts by teachers, parents, UN agencies and the Sadc, other line Ministries, civil society organisations, stakeholders and other partners supporting our education system.” 

Amai Mnangagwa commended work being done by the different partners including inter-ministerial coordination in ensuring quality and equality in education and urged the rest of the nation to rally behind the noble cause.

Amai Mnangagwa said the objectives of CSTL were also in sync with focus of the Angel of Hope Foundation, where she is patron, as it also seeks to address challenges faced by vulnerable communities.

She said the CSTL’s theme, which speaks to promotion of partnerships in responding to the threats, was also befitting to the Zimbabwean context as the country was pushing for multi-sectoral approaches.

“I am encouraged to note that the objectives of CSTL initiatives are in full harmony with the focus of the Angel of Hope Foundation through which I am championing the cause of children, women and health needs of our nation,” said Amai Mnangagwa.

CSTL is hinged on 12 pillars which include curriculum, material, psycho-social, nutrition, leadership and structures, community and teacher development support. Social welfare services, safety and protection, infrastructure, water and sanitation and health promotion are also key priorities of the CSTL model.

Amai Mnangagwa said by launching the CSTL framework, Zimbabwe had reached a critical milestone in fulfilling the requirements of the Sadc policy framework on care and support for teaching and learning.

She said Zimbabwe could now be counted with South Africa and the Kingdom of Eswatini, which launched the education model earlier.

Amai Mnangagwa, who earlier on toured Blackfordby Primary School’s greenhouse and nutritional garden, acknowledged strides the school made towards improving the system of CSTL through sustainable projects. “Such projects will go a long way in augmenting the school coffers and supplementing the school feeding programme, while also enabling vulnerable learners to enjoy access to quality education,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa called on all schools to follow the example set by Blackfordby Primary School in response to some of the pillars under the CSTL initiative.

She said the 2 000 first aid kits procured through partnerships in the education sector would play an important role in schools’ preparedness to emergency situations as part of the protection and safety pillar of the CSTL.

She said Cyclone Idai, which ravaged parts of Manicaland and Masvingo provinces recently, raised collective consciousness of implications of global climatic change and the importance of preparedness in schools.

Speaking at the same occasion, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima said the CSLT initiative started as a pilot project in 15 selected schools.

Prof Mavima said successes registered in the CSTL pilot project have led to the national roll-out officially launched by Amai Mnangagwa.

“As the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, we are in charge of about a third of the country’s population, translating to about 4,5 million learners, hence we need to properly manage the school environment to provide optimum care to this future generation,” said Prof Mavima.

The CSTL is a Sadc initiative that was adopted by Education Ministers in 2008. 

The goal of the CSTL programme is to realise the educational rights of all children, including those who are most vulnerable, through schools becoming inclusive centres of learning, care and support through its different pillars.