Zimpapers Logo

Leonard Ncube, [email protected]
MATABELELAND North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo has urged Zimbabweans who visit Victoria Falls for conferencing to take time and sample tourism activities.
He was speaking in a speech read on his behalf by the director for coordination in Matabeleland North, Mr Tapera Mugoriya, while officially opening the National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) National Conference for 2024, which ended in Victoria Falls on Tuesday.
With 2 730 school heads attending, the conference started on Sunday.
It was held under the theme: “The Role of The School Head in Enhancing the Heritage-Based Curriculum under the Current Socio-Economic Situation”.
Government has been encouraging locals to take time to visit resorts and leisure centres countrywide to promote domestic tourism.
Locals usually travel for conferences and church meetings and hardly go on leisure holidays.
Tourism is one of the key economic enablers, contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi recently said the sector had surpassed agriculture and mining as the leading contributor to the GDP based on receipts in the first half of the year.
The Naph conference brought together school heads, education experts, partners, stakeholders as well as leading education institutions from across the country in an effort to create a shared space for exchanging ideas, and experiences and demonstrating cutting-edge innovations in the education sector, in particular from the primary school sector.
The Naph delegates ignited life into the resort city especially in the hospitality, accommodation, and food sectors as they painted the city streets with their respective provincial colours.
Each province had a unique dress code for its members.
Minister Moyo said it was pleasing and encouraging that there were more than 2 730 school heads drawn from across the ten provinces that participated in the conference.
This was an increase from 2 200 that attended the 2023 edition in Manicaland Province.
Harare province hosted the 2024 edition but elected to have it in Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North, as the country’s resort city continues to attract local and international conferences.
“Thank you educators for building the nation and being people who direct policy implementation and formulation. You need to celebrate the fact that your products are out there showing success. We need to celebrate the diversity of our tourist attractions in Zimbabwe.
“Let’s take our learners to places like the National Heroes Acre, or Chimoio and others because we need to continuously tell them to know why Zimbabwe is called Zimbabwe and that blood was shed for us to enjoy this freedom and education,” Mr Mugoriya said before reading the minister’s speech.
In the speech, Minister Moyo said: “When time allows, conference delegates are invited to take a boat cruise on the Zambezi River or visit the mighty Victoria Falls. Domestic tourism becomes of benefit to delegates who attend such conferences especially after choosing the resort town of Victoria Falls as the venue. As we enjoy the conference, let us reflect on the need for our unwavering commitment to our responsibilities and our duty to our pupils.”
After the conference, the school heads toured the Victoria Falls Rainforest where they marvelled at the experience as some were visiting for the first time.
“This is my first time in Victoria Falls and to have a view of the falls makes the experience unforgettable,” said a female head who preferred to remain anonymous.
Another said: “We have been hearing that the Falls are dry but we have seen that even though the water is very low, it’s not as dry as is being circulated.”
Videos of the Victoria Falls being dry have been viral on social media although the water level traditionally goes down this time of the year.
-@ncubeleon