The ManicaPost
Morris Mtisi Education Correspondent
It was Ralph Buchanan who said, “When you walk in purpose, you collide with destiny.”
Friday June 15 2018. All roads lead to a little Primary School behind the tired countrified shopping-centre-bus terminus in one. All learners from primary, secondary and high school around Nyanga who have ‘‘walked’’ to Nyamhuka Primary School are destined to collide with their destiny.
Minister Mandiwanzira addressing the crowd.
You are suddenly reminded of Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” And his political peer, Oliver Tambo: “The children of any nation are its future. A country, a movement, a person that does not value its youth and children does not deserve its future.” Addressing more than 25 secondary schools and about half as many primary schools, teachers and learners, career guidance practitioners and parents, Nyanga District Schools Inspector, Shadreck Sithole represented Government and Ministry of Primary and Secondary education, hook, line and sinker. In a short and sweet written speech on the colourful school career day, Mr Sithole aptly and succinctly articulated the event’s theme: Employment Creation for Social and Economic Transformation.
‘‘We have come so far in our walk towards encouraging a mindset change for the creation of more job opportunities for our students. The labour market has been characterised by skills mismatches, such that employment creation and technological transformation has become a priority for this turnaround.” he said
Part of the learners on Careers Day.
Mr Sithole emphasised that Career Day was organised to prepare students for skills beyond formal education. He equally emphasised that career guidance had become instrumental in highlighting future careers and progression routes and that is why as a nation, “. . . we are alive to the limitations of employment generation-hence the continuous drive towards employment creation and economic growth.”
Most important of all, the guest of honour urged students to engage in non-conventional fields such as Arts and Culture, Sports, Tourism and many other fields taking advantage of their personal talents and abilities. “In so doing, it is easier to link with the relevant intellectual, entrepreneurial and technical interests which respond to different competencies.”
Mr Sithole stressed that with events like this, learners were empowered to become innovators, inventors, self-reliant, logical thinkers and technologically proficient problem solvers. “To the students, I say,’ said the Nyanga DSI, “You are responsible for the choices you make today . . . the adoption of a mind-set change approach facilitates for you to open up your good judgement and intelligence in discovering what works better for you as an individual.”
For a moment the constituency member of the assembly, Honourable Supa Mandiwanzira stole the show when he detoured into the primary school escorted by an entourage of vehicles branding the #ED-has-my-vote banners. In a confident man-of-the-moment mood the former radio presenter and popular journalist took the microphone and congratulated Ministry of Primary and Secondary education together with the sponsors and supporters of Careers Day for consciously remembering learners need to be guided on their path of choosing life careers.
A two-three minute ‘‘Tiirarira’’ stint of Zim-Dancehall music by a teenage gaffer who was part of the Minister of Information and Communication Technology and Cyber Security turned the school football ground into a mini-Woodstock in the rustic Nyanga country school as little boys and girls frantically screamed for some more of familiar ‘‘Tiirarira’’ vibes to which they sang along and literally swarmed around young Dance-hall ‘‘Tiirarira’’ like bees around the queen-bee.
“Neniwoka papfuurwawo kudai naSupa . . . munongotiwoka zvishoma kundiroverawo maoko.” What a hilarious few seconds! Before one counted to ten, Honourable Supa was gone . . . leaving Career Guidance wondering where he was going with the #ED-has –my-vote train. For one second the spectacle reminded me of the book, A Man of The People by . . . Chinua Achebe. The Nyanga Schools Career Day was organised by Ministries of Labour and Social Welfare and Employment Services with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Some of the notable exhibitors on the day were Mutare Teachers’ College, ZRP, Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Health and Child-Welfare, Lands, Nyaradzo ‘‘Sahwira Mukuru’’ Funerals among many others.
I was working hand in glove with Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education from day to day on various programmes, including via The Manica Post and local radio-Diamond FM had a special task to do: reminding all students present that above all the worthwhile effort; students must exhibit self-discipline and self control. Ubunthu/Hunhu is paramount though it is not a career path.
Otherwise with drug pushing and abuse, homosexuality and lesbianism, Satanism and student prostitution endemically rampant in schools, teachers are busy teaching for the grave and learners busy studying for the grave. The country does not benefit from a sickly work force or civil service dominated by drug addicts and executive prostitutes. It does not need corrupt human capital, learned thieves and intelligent prostitutes. A good education liberates the mind . . . but liberates towards responsible adulthood, not celebration of decay. Before this country enjoys much deserved honest change, it deserves honestly changed people, does it not? Food for serious thought!
