Chronicle Editor
The e-enrolment for 2017 Form One places implemented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will now proceed without hitches after the firm which challenged the system at the High Court withdrew the lawsuit. Purple Divine Technology withdrew its challenge after High Court Judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi grilled it in his chambers over its legal standing to sue the ministry.
The software development firm had claimed ownership and control of the e-MAP, the on-line enrolment system and sought an interim order to stop the ministry from using it for the enrolment of 2017 Form One boarding pupils. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora, through his lawyers Advocate Webster Chinamhora assisted by Advocate Regina Mabwe successfully argued his case before Justice Chitapi.
Adv Chinamhora told the judge that Purple Divine Technology lacked locus standing to bring such an application. He said a firm called ZimAssist owned the school enrolment software. Adv Chinamhora said by its own allegations, the software firm was ill-suited to bring a claim against the minister.
Purple Divine Technology’s case became more feeble when Justice Chitapi made it clear that the application was defective and improperly before the court. Dr Dokora welcomed the court outcome. “People must learn to appreciate that which is helpful for the system,” he said in an interview.
“We want a transparent mechanism that will assist all our people, rich and poor, all our people in the rural and urban areas, as well as the farming communities to benefit from a transparent system.”
This year, Dr Dokora said, the ministry recorded the highest number of young learners transitioning into Form One. “We anticipate a surge in the infant classes as our stakeholders continue to trust the vision of President Mugabe that every child be granted access to basic education.” – The Herald
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