admineducation officers in monitoring schools countrywide.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Harare yesterday, Education, Sports, Art and Culture Minister David Coltart, said the vehicles were acquired using money the Ministry of Finance allocated to the sector in the 2010 national budget.
He said some of the vehicles had already been dispatched to various districts around the country, while others would be distributed this week.
“This is money from the fiscus and it is a welcome development, which will show how tax payers’ money is being used.
“This is a clear testimony of the importance Government gives to the education sector. I am happy to announce that some of the vehicles have already reached their destinations and some provinces like Matabeleland can now boast of seven vehicles,” he said.
He said each province would get four vehicles and Harare and Bulawayo would receive two each.
He said to ensure quality education, Government would provide each of the country’s 73 administrative districts with a vehicle.
Minister Coltart said the vehicles would go a long way in improving the education standards in the country.
“Lawlessness had crept in the education sector and it is these regulations and policies that we want to restore in the sector with tight monitoring.
“We no longer want to have excuses from the monitors,” he said.
Monitoring of schools by Government had been slowed, as most education officers did not have transport to move around the schools.
This created indiscipline among teachers and tension between parents and school authorities.
Minister Coltart emphasised that monitoring would defuse growing tension in some cases between parents and school authorities.
His ministry, he said, was concerned with increased conflicts hence the need to tighten monitoring activities.
“Clashes between parents and school authorities will be reduced by consistent monitoring.
“This is a bid to promote discipline within schools and duly improve the country’s pass rate,” he said.
He reiterated that despite facing liquidity challenges, his ministry would strive to improve the performance of all Government run schools and ensure service delivery by the teaching staff was up to standard.
Government, he said, would continue to improve as well as maintain education standards achieved since independence.
“This together with the printing of the textbooks are some of the initiatives Government is doing to achieve its goals. By year end we will achieve a 1:1 book – pupil ratio at all our schools,” he said.
The event was attended by provincial education directors, Minister Coltart’s deputy Lazarus Dokora and Permanent Secretary Dr Stephen Mahere.
Online Reporter