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Learners in Zimbabwe Might Soon Get Their Own Textbooks

by Bontle on 26 May 2010   |   

Zimbabwe’s education system was once a model for sub-Saharan Africa. The economic and political crises of the past decade, including an almost year-long strike by teachers in 2008 led to a dramatic decline in the standard of education in the country and the near total collapse of the system. This coupled with the rising costs of keeping teachers in schools, uniforms and other school materials have meant that it has become very difficult for parents to afford to buy their children textbooks. As a result, most learners share textbooks. This may soon come to an end thanks to UNICEF. Read more here.

In January 2010 the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture put the ratio of text books to pupils at about one to 10, but teachers in the capital, Harare, have reported instances of 40 pupils sharing one text book at some schools.

However, juggling textbooks and homework might soon come to an end. UNICEF has provided over US$50 million, with which David Coltart, the Education, Sport and Culture Minister, said his ministry aimed to improve the pupil-textbook ratio to 1:1 by the end of the year.

• Read the complete article at All Africa

No Strike Threats As Schools Open in Zimbabwe

by Bontle on 05 May 2010   |   

For the first time, Zimbabwean schools open today without teachers threatening to abscond lessons as has been the case for the past few years. The three leading teachers’ trade unions in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimba), Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (TUZ) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), all urged their members to report for duty today.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti announced two weeks ago that the Zimbabwean government had frozen civil servants salaries due to inadequate resources. In contrast, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told workers at a Workers’ Day celebrations in Dzivaresekwa at the weekend that Government had not taken a position on the issue.

In a U-turn, the PTUZ and TUZ, who during the weekend had urged their members to wait till Government clarifies the salary freeze issue, yesterday urged their members to report for duty.

• Read the complete article at All Africa

Education Transition Fund Helps Zimbabwe Secure US$30 million

by Bontle on 09 Apr 2010   |   

Zimbabwe has secured US$30 million from foreign donors for the production of primary school textbooks, Education Minister David Coltart has revealed.

Coltart told parliament that donors made the money available through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) after the government established an Education Transition Fund last December. This money includes the European Union (EU) has given Zimbabwe a grant this month to distribute exercise books and learning materials to Zimbabwe’s more than 5000 primary schools.

“That money is now going to be applied in the first instance to the production of textbooks for primary schools,” Coltart told MPs this week.

Zimbabwe is emerging from a decade-long economic and political crisis after President Robert Mugabe and former opposition rivals Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara agreed to share power.

The crisis hit the education sector hard. Figures supplied by the Ministry of Education showed a national average of 15 primary school children sharing a single textbook.

With the new funding, Coltart said: “We aim to reduce the textbook-student ratio from 1:15 and to 1:1.”

• Read the complete article

Queen of Green Teaches Clean and Green Living

by Bontle on 09 Apr 2010   |   

Zimbabwean author and illustrator, Jacqui Taylor, has designed a new children’s book called The Queen of Green. The book is for adults and children alike and teaches them what it means to “go green” and how we can all assist in taking better care of planet earth.

Through the medium of contemporary verses, marvellous illustrations, tips and facts, she goes straight to the heart of the matter – that they need to love the earth. She wants them to realise that they can be a part of the solution, rather than the problem, and have fun at the same time. Concepts such as “global warming” and “climate change” are explained in a way that children will understand. It’s a must for every child; their parents, grandparents, teachers and child carers might discover that they too can learn something new!

Book details

• The Queen of Green by Jacqui Taylor
  EAN: 9781770078123
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

The Gift of the Tortoise Challenges the Mischievous Hare

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 30 Mar 2010   |   

Even though I grew up hearing many different stories about the Tortoise and the Hare, my ears still stood up when I heard about Sanelle Sibanda‘s new children’s book The Gift of the Tortoise. That’s one duo I don’t think we will ever get tired of hearing about.

SAN FRANCISCO (MMD Newswire) March 17, 2010 — The Gift of the Tortoise, an illustrated children’s book by Sanelle Sibanda, works to entertain young readers while emphasizing the importance of honesty and fairness.

When a massive drought strikes the prosperous African land of Ntabazindun, the animals that live there are forced to flee their homes in search of food and water. One night during their journey, they camp near a tree full of nourishing green leaves. In order to share the leaves for all to enjoy, the animals agree to only eat a few and save the rest for morning. But during the night, a selfish hare hatches a scheme to eat more leaves and place the blame on someone else. When he is caught the next day, he tricks the animals into letting him escape and finds new ways to steal their resources and turn them against each other. Now it is up to the wise tortoise to catch the hare and put an end to his tricks once and for all.

“The book emphasizes that it is important to respect others even if they seem insignificant and treat people the way you like to have them treat you,” Sibanda says. “My grandmother made me smile by telling me great stories and I want to share that gift with others.”

The book features full-color illustrations on each page that depict the animals and their adventures on the way to greener lands. Inspired by the author’s grandmother’s stories, the narrative includes African names, words and themes in an effort to teach young readers about fairness and respect for others.

About the Author

Sanelle Sibanda is a writer, director and actor. Born in Bulawayo, a major city in Zimbabwe, he was raised by his beloved grandmother in the midst of guerilla warfare. A graduate of City University in London, he later relocated to San Francisco where he became involved in film production, direction, acting and writing. Sibanda recently produced and directed a feature film entitled “Generation Now” that premiered at The Four Star Theatre in March 2008. The Gift of the Tortoise is a product of his memories of his grandmother who told him stories to help take his mind from pains of civil war.

• Read the complete article

Book details

• The Gift of the Tortoise by Sanelle Sibanda
  EAN: 9781449946579
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

The Devastating Effect of Zimbabwean Politics on Children's Education and Literacy Policy

by Bontle on 25 Mar 2010   |   

The European Union (EU) has given Zimbabwe a grant this month to distribute exercise books and learning materials to Zimbabwe’s more than 5000 primary schools. The grant will be given through United Nations Children’s Fund. In the last twenty years, Zimbabwe has drastically reduced funding for education from about US$6 per child to $0.70 last year as political leaders diverted resources to consolidating power. Zimbabwean children are being taught the same curriculum taught their parents 27 years ago because there had been no effort to develop new and improved curricula since 1983.

Speaking yesterday, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said that the public school system has collapsed over the past decade of political turmoil and economic crisis because of under-funding, while teachers deserted classes because of political violence. EU head of delegation in Zimbabwe, Xavier Marchal has said yesterday’s UN grant was part of the EU’s support to the Harare power-sharing government’s efforts to rebuild the country.

“Twenty years later, government pays literally nothing towards schools per capita grant (and) teachers’ allowances are on the paltry side and worse still (teachers are) a prey for the militia,” he said, referring to the pro-Mugabe youth militia that has attacked teachers as punishment for not backing the veteran leader.

Tsvangirai said where two students would share a textbook in the 80s today at least 14 percent of schools have virtually no textbooks at all.

• Read the complete article at Zim Online

New Book From Zimbabwe Teaches Religion, Politics and Tradition

by Bontle on 03 Mar 2010   |   

A recently published children’s book, Uncle Irvine’s Favourite Children’s Stories, could have not come out at a more opportune time than now when schools are about to reopen and parents in Zimbabwe are looking for books outside of the standard syllabus to stimulate their children’s love of reading.

The 20 stories, written with children of the three to 7 age range in mind, are also meant to improve their colouring and drawing skills. All the stories are set in Africa with African characters, and Pastor Irvine Gwatiringa thinks it is imperative for children to read their own traditional stories while at the same time learning from the Bible, hence the decision to marry culture and religion in the stories. the stories also aim to teach children about regional blocs such as SADC and relations within and between countries in the SADC region.

The collection of stories fits in the mould of extra-curricular books that parents should encourage their children to read to improve their reading and writing skills. One interesting aspect about the book published in Botswana, is that it is in a three-in-one format: it’s a storybook, sketch book and colour book, all in one.

• Read The Full Article Here