adminTHE usually quiet neighbourhood of Sunninghill in Bulawayo was on Friday brought to a standstill when people from all walks of life thronged the late National Hero Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu’s house to bid their farewell to the renowned educationist and politician. The Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Cabinet Minister died on Tuesday morning at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo, where he had been admitted after suffering a stroke.
While speaker after speaker at the service laid down Dr Ndlovu’s illustrious political career, what was obvious from not only the speakers but the composition of the crowd was that Duke was an educationist par excellence.
Teachers from Mpopoma High School temporarily put their chalks and books on hold to attend the memorial service at the Ndlovu residence.
Also present — armed with a banner with a message dedicated to their late founder- were students and teachers from Dr Ndlovu’s Zimbabwe Distance Education College (Zdeco).
As one left the memorial service the agreed fact was that Dr Ndlovu was indeed dedicated not only to liberating the nation but also to educating the nation.
“Duke’s passion for education traces back to the liberation struggle when after getting a Doctorate overseas, instead of seeking employment from international organisations he went back to rejoin PF-Zapu in Zambia and was at the forefront of schooling freedom fighters in camps. Even when he was detained at Gonakudzingwa he started a school there, where a lot of detainees were educated. He always had education at heart,” said prominent historian, journalist and a close friend of the late Dr Ndlovu, Mr Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu himself a former freedom fighter.
Mr Ndlovu revealed that it was Dr Ndlovu’s passion for education that saw him being put in charge of curriculum development within PF-Zapu and was very much trusted by the late Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo.
“There is no doubt that Dr Ndlovu’s passion was education. It is his love for education that I can say he left this country better than he found it. I remember after Independence he asked me to be the master of ceremony when he launched Zdeco, where Dr Nkomo was the guest of honour.
“It is the reason of setting up this college which people should always remember, he saw that ex-combatants since de-mobilisation now needed to be educated and because most of them were old hence they could not enter into formal schools,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Dr Stanley Hadebe, a prominent educationist also noted Dr Ndlovu’s contribution to the education sector.
He, however, expressed concern at the declining education profile of Matabeleland region saying there was a need for people to follow the footsteps of Dr Ndlovu.
“When he founded Zdeco in 1980, it was located just next to a de-mobilisation office in Harare and he would constantly remind me that these were Zimbabwe’s children and there was a need for someone to come up and assist them, and he was that someone to assist the people.
“What disappoints me though is that in Matabeleland we are no longer taking education seriously like Sikhanyiso. I have been following the pass rates in the region and they are disappointing, right now we are known as the region of vuzu parties (wild parties for youths), this showing you that our education standards are surely plummeting,” said Dr Hadebe.
Dr Ndlovu’s brother, Simangaliso concurred saying there was a need for people to follow in the footsteps of General Hokoyo, as Dr Ndlovu was known during the liberation struggle.
“One of my brother’s achievements was that in the year 2000 he was named Zimbabwe’s Educator of the Year, this goes to show us all how our brother was so dedicated to educating the nation.
“All he spoke about was how he could contribute towards education, he was so passionate that he even had a number of children who he was paying fees for,” said Simangaliso.
Mpopoma-Pelandaba legislator, Cde Joe Tshuma, a Zdeco graduate, revealed how Dr Ndlovu had played a major role in furthering his education.
“When I finished school I spent a number of years doing nothing but Dr Ndlovu came to me and implored that I go back to school, which resulted in me enrolling at his college. When I passed, he further encouraged me to join the National University of Science and Technology where I graduated with a degree. Dr Ndlovu was not only a mentor to me but he was more of a father figure, I would constantly go to him for advice,” said Cde Tshuma.
After the Unity accord between PF-Zapu and Zanu-PF in 1987, Dr Ndlovu preached peace and tolerance, and went on to hold a number of leadership positions in the ruling party Zanu-PF and Government. Dr Ndlovu was buried yesterday at the National Heroes Acre. He was 78.
Online Reporter