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Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter
THE business community is continuing to support the Angel of Hope Foundation to transform people’s lives and yesterday availed an assortment of textbooks that will benefit learners from Early Childhood Development (ECD) to tertiary education.
The provision of textbooks and other support teaching and learning materials is central to the delivery of quality education at all levels. The absence of such resources in the past years has negatively affected the quality of education.
The donation seeks to counter the shortage of resources in the education sector and reduce the student textbook ratio.
The critical shortage of textbooks and other teaching and learning materials has negatively affected the education sector and prompted Angel of Hope Foundation to partner the business community to assist in this regard.
The textbooks were donated by PLD Investments directors Mr Patrice Dhliwayo and his wife Liona and will go a long way in reducing the textbook learner ratio in most schools as many of them are struggling to acquire basic learning materials.
Speaking soon after receiving the donation in Harare yesterday, the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, commended the gesture by the company saying the donation would go a long way in supporting the education sector.
“I welcome you warmly here, with the gesture you have shown in supporting the Angel of Hope Foundation.
“The books which you have donated will be used in most schools countrywide from ECD to tertiary education. There is a shortage of books in most of our schools. I am appealing to other companies to work with Angel of Hope Foundation in helping our schools.
“We hope a lot of companies will come on board to support the Government in its quest to transform the education sector. The move will also go a long way in alleviating shortages of books in most schools,” said First Lady Amai Mnangagwa.
The company donated books ranging from science, commerce, arts to history, among other subjects
She appealed to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to promote science technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects from early stages.
“We encourage schools to promote STEM at all levels to transform the country’s economy,” she said.
First Lady Amai Mnangagwa challenged the girl child to take STEM subjects seriously to address the issue of gender balance in some work places.
“I am encouraging girls to take science subjects seriously at school so that they can transform the country’s economy. If they take science subjects, they represent women. As a country we are encouraging STEM subjects since it will help to transform our economy,” she said.
“I want to thank PLD Investments that gave us the books. I am saying to the corporate world come with whatever you have, it will help the needy. I will take some of the books to orphanages to help the underprivileged school learners. We want the schools to promote the culture of reading,” she said.
Retailers’ Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Denford Chimutashu said they are working with the corporate world to mobilise resources to support Angel of Hope Foundation which is committed to transforming the livelihoods of the people in all spheres of life.
“We work with various corporates to try and support the work done by Angel of Hope Foundation.
“We managed to source books from PLD Investments who would supply books in most schools across the country.
“The donation comes after the realisation of the need to transform the education sectors through the promotion of science subjects from ECD to tertiary education
“This is a noble donation. It helps the needy who do not have access to books and they donated textbooks worth US$50 000,” he said.
Mrs Dhliwayo encouraged other businesses to help the disadvantaged and thereby build the country’s education sector.
Online Reporter