DPM Khupe beautiful: President

The President took the more than 15 000 crowd on a lighter moment in his remarks during the official commissioning of the Landa J High School and launch of the E-learning centre for the southern region in Tsholotsho District.
President Mugabe said he had realised that the directors of ceremonies had mistakenly omitted DPM Khupe in their introductions.
“She has been omitted by people who arrange these introductions but I don’t because she is always in my mind. A beautiful lady . . . a meticulous lady.
“How can anyone forget a person of that charm, a very charming lady,” said the President, drawing amusement from the gathering.
President Mugabe also commended Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart and his Information Communication Technology counterpart Nelson Chamisa for their hard work through their ministries in ensuring that Zimbabwe was abreast with the rest of the world in adopting modern learning approaches.
The Head of State and Commander-In-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said Minister Coltart, though being a white man, had shown a lot of commitment towards working with ordinary Zimbabweans.
“We all have the right to freedom of choice and it is that choice that made Mr Coltart to choose to be among us.
“When the Inclusive Government was formed I thought it was going to be a challenge for him to be among so many black people. Well, we may have differences of political outlook but what matters is that we are all Zimbabweans,” said President Mugabe.
Turning to Minister Chamisa the President said the minister was a young leader who was endowed with great wisdom.
“I encourage him to go forward. We call him the youngest among us and we wonder why he has the wisdom of the elders,” he said.
Minister Coltart showered praises on President Mugabe describing him as a visionary leader whose passion for education has led the country to embrace the global technological revolution of E-learning.
He said E-learning represented the future of education worldwide.
E-learning involves the use of computers to simplify and enhance learning material with all information available at the touch of a button. He said he had come to know the President’s passion for education of Zimbabweans in full measure in the last three years.
Minister Coltart said President Mugabe had been involved for years in a programme to deliver computers to schools so pupils could be introduced to cyber technology countrywide.
“Through his guidance, we have been able to acquire software programmes for E-learning at primary schools. We are working at extending the programme to at least 40 schools in the country by the end of the year so that children learn the wonders of cyber technology at an early age,” he said.
Minister Coltart said the country needed to quickly introduce Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in its curriculum to keep abreast with modern trends.
“ICT is the future. If we do not introduce it rapidly in our curriculum and embrace its application in all subjects, our education system will falter and cease to be the envy of the region,” he said.
Minister Coltart said the President was an unwavering pillar of strength for the country’s education system.
“I had his full support in ensuring textbooks were availed to every child at every school.
“He played a conciliatory and motivational role in keeping teachers at work during deliberations with trade unions on working conditions.
“I am also happy about the way he firmly said we should not compromise the literacy levels of Zimbabweans in the Medium Term Plan for Education,” he said.
He paid tribute to Vice President Nkomo for building a high school equipped with a computer laboratory, saying it bridged the ICT knowledge gap between rural and urban schools.
Also speaking at the same occasion, Minister Chamisa, warned against the unmonitored use of cyber technology by pupils.
“ICT has redefined education. However, it can be dangerous especially for the moral fibre of young people. Nowadays there is what is called sexting, whereby young ones send each other unpalatable pictures,” said Minister Chamisa.
He said the Internet could be a tool or weapon, friend or enemy depending on how it was used. Minister Chamisa said the Internet at Landa John Nkomo High School was better than any that could be found in Bulawayo or hotels in the country because it had a satellite linkage.
“It is now faster for pupils to travel to Honolulu, New Delhi or New York than it is for them to travel to the next town. They can see anything that is happening anywhere in the world at the click of a button,” he said.
The Minister said President Mugabe and VP Nkomo were exceptional leaders because there was no Internet when they went to school, but they were spearheading programmes to ensure that the present generation was exposed to ICT.