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SENATE HANSARD 25 JUNE 2025 Vol. 34 No 59
PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE
Wednesday, 25th June, 2025
The Senate met at Half-past Two o’clock p.m.
PRAYERS
(THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE in the Chair)
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE
VISITORS IN THE SENATE GALLERY
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I would like to acknowledge the presence of the members of the public from Mutare Central Constituency, Manicaland Province, who are in the Senate Gallery. You are most welcome.
HALF-DAY WORKSHOP TO UNPACK THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AND DISPOSAL OF ASSETS AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 2, 2025] AND THE PIPELINES AMENDMENT BILL [H. B. 3, 2025]
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I wish to remind the Senate that on Thursday, 26th June, 2025, there will be a Half-Day Workshop to unpack the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Amendment Bill [H. B. 2, 2025] and the Pipelines Amendment Bill [H. B. 3, 2025] at 0900 hours in the Multi-Purpose Hall. All Hon. Senators are invited to attend.
MOTION
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
HON. SEN. GOTORA: I move that Orders of the Day, Numbers 1 to 8, be stood over until the rest of the Orders of the Day have been disposed of.
HON. SEN. D. M. NCUBE: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
MOTION
CONSTRUCTION OF ECD CENTRES IN VILLAGES
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: I move the motion standing in my name that this House:
CONCERNED by the growing disparity in access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) education between urban and rural areas;
WORRIED that many ECD children in rural communities are unable to attend school due to long distances they travel on foot in most cases;
DISTURBED by the acute shortage of age-appropriate reading and learning materials in rural ECD centres, which severely hamper the cognitive, emotional and literacy development of young learners;
NOTING that the widening gap in educational outcomes and school readiness between rural and urban ECD pupils perpetuates generational inequality and undermines the constitutional right to education as well as the aspirations of Vision 2030;
NOW, THEREFORE, RESOLVES THAT the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education:
(a) in collaboration with local authorities and development partners, do prioritise the construction of ECD centres in every village to ensure that early childhood learning is accessible, inclusive and community-based;
(b) do spearhead the equipping of all rural ECD schools with adequate reading materials, learning aids and qualified ECD educators so that children in rural areas can meaningfully compete with their urban counterparts.
HON.SEN. D. M. NCUBE: I second.
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: Thank you Madam President, for the opportunity you have given me to debate this motion on establishing universal early childhood development access in rural areas of Zimbabwe. I rise this afternoon, not to cast stones but to cast a vision, not to lament the past but to launch the future. Ours is a nation that has walked long and hard paths and through the visionary leadership of His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has emerged resilient, forward-looking and determined to leave no citizen behind.
Allow me to commend His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa, for his exemplary leadership in championing inclusive and transformative education. Through the Presidential Rural Development Programme, His Excellency has laid a solid foundation for early learning by ensuring the delivery of essential infrastructure such as solar-powered boreholes, nutrition gardens and community business units in villages across the country.
These interventions not only uplift livelihoods but also create enabling environments for the establishment of functional village-based ECD centres. By integrating education with broader community development, the President has demonstrated a deep understanding that quality early childhood education begins with secure, supported and empowered communities. Moreover, under the President's leadership, the Second Republic has shown an unwavering commitment to the goals of Vision 2030 by prioritising Human Capital Development. From the earliest stages of life, His Administration’s focus on bridging the urban-rural divide through decentralised infrastructure, digital learning initiatives and advocacy for equitable education resources signals a bold step towards levelling the playing field for rural learners.
Madam President, the President's inclusive vision recognises that nurturing the potential of every child, regardless of geography, is not only a constitutional imperative but a strategic national investment. This House thus salutes His Excellency for these impactful strides and calls for continued momentum to ensure every child begins their journey of learning on firm and equal footing.
Madam President, the Education 5.0 revolution is no small feat. We are transforming institutions of learning into centres of innovation, production and societal problem solving. Our literacy rate at over 89% remains among the highest in Africa. We are exporting ideas, knowledge and graduates to the world. Nonetheless, Hon. Senators, the true test of national greatness lies not in the reach of our universities but in the reach of our compassion, in the reach of our fundamental systems, in the reach of early childhood development, especially in rural areas of Zimbabwe.
Madam President, when little Tendai in Gokwe South walks 16 kilometers every day to access the most basic classroom, her footsteps echo a constitutional promise still waiting to be fulfilled. Section 75 of our Constitution does not read some people, urban people or privileged people. It states that every person has the right to a basic state-funded education. This motion seeks not to point fingers but to lift hands together towards the next bold step in our educational revolution. Madam President, our Constitution is more than a legal text. It is a social contract. It binds us to the children of Mutoko as much as it binds us to those of Borrowdale. Section 81 ensures children's rights to development, protection and education. Section 56 of the Constitution prohibits discrimination based on class, sex, race or location. Nearly 70% of rural children aged between 3 and 6 years do not access formal ECD. That is fertile ground for transformation.
Zimbabwe is not just a signatory but a global advocate for UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (2) which commits us to ensure all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development care and pre-primary education. Let us bring this debate to life beyond policy and statistics. In Chipinge, Mary sits beneath a tree each morning reciting the alphabet with no chalkboard, no desk and no lunch. Her teacher improvises using stones and sticks. Madam President, I can give many examples but the issue is that early childhood learning is important for our children, for them to succeed in life.
In Centenary Madam President, Teacher Mukoko, a public servant of 20 years, teaches 47 children using one textbook. He has no flashcards, no toys and no chairs, yet he shows up every day to teach the children. Million of rural children are not potential liabilities. They are our hidden national treasure, just waiting to be unearthed by a policy that sees them and secures their future. Madam President, His Excellency's Vision 2030 does not aim for mediocracy. It calls for upper-middle-income status. However, no country has ever vaulted into that league without investing in human capital at its foundation.
According to James Heckman, Nobel Prize winning economist, investment in ECD yields a return of 7 to 13 times in a Zimbabwean context that could translate into one over US$2.3 billion in human capital growth annually, boosted agricultural productivity in rural communities, reduced crime and inequality through early intervention, a workforce ready for automation, artificial intelligence and industrial transformation.
Madam President, the fourth industrial revolution will not wait for us to catch up. It demands that we prepare every Zimbabwean child, rural or urban, with the tools to think, reason, calculate and create. Madam President, the motion offers not to protest but partnership. It provides a blueprint for practical collaborative action:
1) Infrastructure commitment, to ensure equitable access to early childhood education. I propose the establishment of ECD centres in every rural community with at least 50 households strategically located within a two-kilometer radius. This proximity standard is critical to eliminate excessive travel burdens on young learners. To make this vision a reality, we should call for the allocation of at least 15% of the national primary and secondary education budget towards rural ECD infrastructure development.
2) Teacher support and incentivisation; quality education is driven by quality educators. To attract and retain qualified teachers in rural ECD centres, I propose a monetary allowance for ECD educators serving in rural and under deserved areas alongside financial incentives. We must invest in human capital by tracking the training and development of at least two thousand qualified ECD teachers annually. The success of this initiative will also depend on dignified living conditions. Hence, I recommend the establishment of rural-teacher housing schemes supported by access to transportation, solar energy and digital teaching tools.
Madam President, on technology, in today's digital era, we must harness technology to overcome traditional barriers to learning. We propose the distribution of solar-powered tablets preloaded with culturally relevant ECD content in indigenous languages, ensuring that every child can learn in the language they understand best. To extend reach even further, we advocate for the expansion of ZBC radio and television programming to include daily early learning content that is ECD content which supports both children and teachers. Additionally, I propose the establishment of satellite internet connectivity and designated rural ECD hubs to enable digital lesson delivery, teacher upskilling and national curriculum access. Lastly, to reinforce learning at home, I propose the launch of a national parenting application, a mobile-based platform that offers parents and guardians simple tools, activities and guidance to support their children's development from birth through to primary school readiness.
Madam President, to ensure integrity and measurable progress, this motion proposes a comprehensive accountability mechanism like quarterly Ministry reports to Parliament, biannual field visits by the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education to check on ECD centres in rural areas, community school boards and parent forums for direct feedback. We expect to achieve at least more than 85% ECD enrolment in rural areas, where our worry is are the90% centres meet national standards. No more ECD child must walk more than two kilometers, especially in rural areas. As I sum up, accountability is not about blame; it is about shared success. History remembers leaders who dared to act with foresight like our visionary leader, His Excellency, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa. We inherited a proud legacy of educational excellence. Let us now be remembered as a Parliament that completed the promise because every day we delay, another child falls behind. Every month of this session allows inequality to our children in the rural areas and their counterparts in the urban areas. So I submit and I thank you.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: Thank you Madam President, It is my greatest pleasure to second….
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Now you are seconding, that is good.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: The motion that has been moved by my esteemed colleague, Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa. Madam President, in seconding the motion, I would depart a bit from what I intended to do because in the spirit of correct etiquette, I will try by all means to support this motion. I realise that there is a serious convergence and agreement across the divide. In fact, it is actually wrong to call it the divide, across the House, that indeed there is a need for the Executive to redouble their efforts in improving the situation around education in the country and particularly in the rural areas where the majority of our population lives.
The picture that my esteemed colleague has drawn in this House is dire and calls upon the Executive to do everything possible. If they must go and rob a bank to make sure that schools in rural areas are in good statue, so be it. They must go and rob it….
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Senator Zvidzai, I think you are joking on that particular point. We cannot talk of supporting theft in this House. Please withdraw on that one.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: Madam President, I withdraw with a caveat. This is English. I am simply emphasising the need to spend all effort in that direction but I do withdraw. I do not intend to persuade anyone in this country to be a thief. We must be straightforward Zimbabweans, pregnant with Ubuntu, as we are.
HON. SEN. C. MUTSVANGWA: Thank you Madam President. The seconder cannot debate and at the same time support what is wrong. The mention of the word caveat is not right. Robbery is robbery, no matter what. There is no caveat, I think.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: As far as I heard him, he withdrew and also supports that. He wants to stress a point that Government should do anything in supports of that. You can proceed Hon. Senator.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: Thank you very much. Madam President, I do rise to emphasise and continue to draw attention to the critical matter that the Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa has raised, the persistent and deeply entrenched challenges facing rural education in our beloved fatherland. In far too many cases, our rural communities Madam President, the schoolhouse remains a symbol of struggle rather than a sanctuary of hope. Children walk long distances. I am just repeating it to emphasise, to join Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa in this well-articulated worry around what Zimbabwe should be. Sometimes children walk beyond 10 kilometres to access school, cross crocodile-infested rivers, pun not intended in here. They sit under a tree when they get there or in crumbling classrooms. Some of the classrooms that yearn for a dash of paint, which has not happened since time unimaginable. They do not have textbooks. They do not have qualified teachers. They do not have desks and so it is very worrying and this is why Madam President, I support wholeheartedly this motion. This is why I took it upon myself to second it so that it does not collapse. The infrastructure Madam President is dire.
Many schools lack electricity. In fact, the majority lack electricity and they lack clean water, they lack natural gas. They even lack even blair toilets and it is still the order of the day today, so this does not only compromises the quality of education but it does compromise and exposes our children to health risks, which is dangerous.
Madam President, where are the laboratories in the rural areas? It is so sad. Where are the libraries, the digital tools needed to prepare these children for life in this modern age? The teachers who are the backbone of any education system are demoralised. It is worse in the rural areas because there is no proper accommodation for them.
It is so sad Madam President, that I am surprised that this has not been declared a national education sector emergency. For the benefit of this sector, we are proudly an education-based country. Thanks to the late President Mugabe and his team, who set the foundations for an admirable educational system. We must maintain this because it is our pride and it is one thing that we are known for in Africa. They work under very hard conditions, with little to non-existent facilities. The teachers sometimes, if something goes wrong, want access to help and they have to travel long distances to access this.
Madam President, because of this, we are destroying the foundations for creating anti-poverty missiles because education is indeed that necessary tool for fighting poverty.
I do not want to keep shouting. I notice Senator X does not want me to speak of certain things, so let me end this support by pushing through a few proposals. Firstly, I propose that a rural education infrastructure fund be established so that we have that fund, we put money in there, use that money specifically to deal with improving the situation around education in our schools, both rural and urban with a focus towards allocating more resources to the rural. This will enable us to take up the rural schools and try to equalise them with the urban schools. This includes spending money on classrooms, teacher accommodation, libraries and ICT equipment. I think this is important. Should we have one country, one community where we do not have other people enjoying better facilities while on the other hand others are not enjoying the same?
Madam President, I concur with the mover of the motion that there is need and so I want to emphasise that, so that this recommendation can be heard more loudly that we create an incentive scheme for rural teachers, including rural hardship allowances, housing schemes and accelerated career development so that they can see hope, they can see themselves moving upwards in perhaps the direction of better facilities.
Madam President, I speak passionately about this because early in my career, I was a rural teacher. I understand fully the fight, the struggles of the patriotic person who is called a rural teacher.
I also wish to push through a third recommendation around community-supported school feeding programmes, community-based driven by local leadership, chiefs, councillors, church leaders and non-governmental organisations resident in the area. They can deal with making sure that children do not go to school, ECD, primary school, secondary, on empty stomach and barefoot.
Madam President, with this submission, I wish to again thank the mover of the motion and agree that many times, as a nation, we must gather around the problems that we face together and deal them a big blow so that we live better lives as we move forward. I thank you.
*HON. SEN. GOTORA: Thank you Hon. President for allowing me to add my voice to this pertinent motion which was moved by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa.
We need to write comprehensive laws that are going to aid our people because long distances were common during our days. When we were going to Sub-A in 1955, we would travel 20 kilometres from my home area to the school where I was learning. I had to drop out of that particular year until my parents and other parents decided to build a school nearby. I then took my Sub-A at Churu, which was a makeshift school where we used cow dung to polish the floors.
However, for me to see my grandchild going through the same, I do not believe it is a good thing. I am talking about 1955 and parents decided that a local school which was not a missionary school, was needed and it was not a council school. They built a school so that some young people including myself could benefit from that.
I believe that as the Government, even as parents, we must not just rely on the Government, we need to take the initiative. We have a lot of people who are educated, who have excelled beyond the parents of the 50s. We need to build schools on our own with support from the Government. If we do not do that, then the issues that we are talking about, artificial intelligence, will just be a pipe dream.
In some countries like China, a two-year-old child will be going to ECD and they will be having gadgets, innovative gadgets and learning a lot of things. I believe that if we want to attain the same status, then we need to promote legislation that will prompt our children to rise beyond the anticipated status. What we need to do is to support Government initiatives, for example, all the teacher training colleges are now training ECD teachers. I am talking about the colleges that I know, like Nyadire which has quite a number, Seke Teachers’ College and other teachers' colleges that are training ECD teachers.
Now, after training, these teachers are unemployed. They are seated at home. They are not employed, so the challenge is that as a nation, we are not pooling resources together so that our Government will be able to employ these ECD teachers and they can be gainfully employed. There is not much that they can do when they do not have good salaries. As a nation, we need to support the Government’s initiatives so that we support our own programmes. You would find that some countries like Mozambique are given money by the World Bank and IMF. Two weeks ago, they were given USD7.8 billion from the IMF, the same as South Africa, which received USD7 billion. What about us? We are fighting ourselves, so they cannot come and support us.
Secondly, what I believe should be done is that as parents, we live in different communities with our local communities, so we can work together to build the schools that were mentioned by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa, schools which offer ECD classes so that our children will not travel more than two kilometres to school.
These are young children and these are toddlers. I remember when I was young, I was usually carried by my sister to school so that I would not cry. I thank my sister because I am what I am today because of that support. We cannot continue expecting that ECD children would carry each other because they are all minors. In those days, some who went to school together with me were 10 years older than I was. Now, you will find ECD children are of the same age. Where we live and where we come from, we need to work with our local authorities to build schools.
Secondly, the technology that is being spoken about should not be in newspapers, radios and televisions only but that technology should be taken to communities. This requires resources so that it can be taken to the people in different communities because there is no ministry that I know which is satisfied with the money that it is getting because the Government cannot pool resources to cater for everyone. So, I urge our business people, even the Chivayos who are wealthy, to support programmes like this so that our children would go to good schools. I said that they should support the construction of schools and he is not the only person I alluded to but there are many who watch soccer, who board flights to watch soccer matches in Johannesburg and we have Priests who do the same, who board flights from Johannesburg to preach in Harare then they go back to Johannesburg. If such monies could be pulled together to support these initiatives like the ones that were mentioned by Hon Senator Mavenyengwa and Hon. Senator Zvidzai so that we have schools which are fully equipped.
I also requested that as a nation, the teachers that I spoke about require decent accommodation, they require houses in these schools. We have the rural electrification programme and electricity is found everywhere, so for 20 or 40 kilometres, you only require just one line to connect different communities. As a nation, I implore the Government and the people of Zimbabwe, to work together so that we pool resources and build schools which will allow our children to have quality elementary education. When you go to other countries, you would find that toddlers do not play with toys, just mere toys but they play with technological gadgets which teach them a lot of skills. This is going to lift our country in terms of developing our country technologically. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MUPANDE: Thank you Madam President, for giving me this opportunity to debate on a motion brought by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Can you please pause for a moment so that we can look for a translator.
HON. SEN. MUPANDE: Thank you Madam President, I want to thank Hon. Senator for that proactive stance in introducing this motion. This motion which was brought by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Senator, can you please wait until we get the interpretation.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Good afternoon Hon. President. Thank you, Madam President, for giving me this opportunity and I also want to thank the Hon. Member for the proactive stance.
A technical fault having occurred with the interpretation system.
HON. SEN. BVUMO: On a point of order Madam President. When an Hon. Member wants to debate in another language which is not Shona or English, we always have a problem of interpretation – [HON. SENATORS; Hear, hear.] – Is it because these other languages are not recognised. It is my sincere wish that we should be prepared to debate at any given time because it is so disgusting for a person from Binga to be told to sit down, sometimes she or he does not understand the meaning of that – [HON. SENATORS: Hear, hear.] – We have a problem here of debating because you have just told the Hon. Senator to wait. I am appealing to the House that let us be prepared all the time so that we do not seem to be discriminating other languages.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Senator. I think you are very right that we are having problems with interpreters but now I am being informed that it is a technical problem not that there are no people who are supposed to translate. It is the Hon. Senator’s right to debate in the language he or she is comfortable with. It is the right of the whole House to understand what is being said by the Senator on the floor. I think our Administration should pull up their socks. I now call upon Hon. Senator Matibiri to take the floor.
HON. MATIBIRI: Madam President, with your indulgence, can I postpone my debate to tomorrow.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Matibiri, you stood up that other time.
HON. MATIBIRI: Yes, I had stood up earlier on but I seek your indulgence to debate tomorrow.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: That is okay.
HON. TSHABANGU: Thank you very much Madam President. Before I debate, I want to really extend and put my weight into what you have just said and what has been raised by my colleague. We have seen this pattern developing in a very negative manner. We saw it in the Lower House and we are witnessing it now. This is not the first time and I hope it should be the last time because you have spoken about it. We cannot really speak when you have spoken, we respect your ruling and we hope that this is going to be taken into consideration. We hope that the Administration is not going to sit and expose the nation in this manner. All languages are equal, they deserve better attention.
HON. SEN. ZINDI: On a point of order Madam President. My point of order is that you have already done your ruling on the matter and you even spoke about the Administration to pull up their socks in order to make sure whatever is supposed to be done in terms of ensuring that translation is done should be done. You had already done your ruling so I wonder what the Hon. Senator is also trying to raise while you had done a ruling already. Thank you.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you Hon. Senator, I think Hon. Senator Tshabangu had said that already. Hon. Senator may you please debate as per your earlier request?
HON. TSHABANGU: Thank you Madam President. I will end with Hon. Senator Zindi after my debate.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: You are not supposed to direct your debate to Hon. Senator Zindi.
HON. TSHABANGU: It appears she has a beef with me, I will give a play.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Please talk to the Chair.
HON. SEN. ZINDI: I will meet him outside –[Laughter]-.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Alright Hon. Senators, you are promising to meet each other, I do not know whether it is concerning this House or it is something else.
HON. TSHABANGU: She is my sister and she is also my Chairperson. I highly regard her…..
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order, Hon. Tshabangu, please debate.
HON. TSHABANGU: Madam President, I rise to give my weight, views, thought, years of experiences to a very important motion raised by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa and supported by Hon. Senator Zvidzai. Education is a cornerstone of all virtues, during our yesteryears, our forefathers will invest - like where I come from, when you have a herd of cattle, you have the influence, be it political, social and economical influence within your community. Your children will inherit that estate, ilifa in Ndebele, this is my estate and people will fight over it and it perishes. That was what was happening in the years of our forefathers.
Madam President, when we came to this century ilifa is now education, you empower them with education, they will die with it. Nobody is going to take away that education that you will have really imparted to them. It becomes the skill, it engraves in their system, it is just like a DNA of them. They will use that education to navigate all the challenges that they may face in future but when you give them these material things, tomorrow they will sell and you will find them in the streets of Soweto, Makokoba, Mbare and so forth because it will perish. Education becomes central in every economic development of any nation. It is pinned on how nations trust and develop the education matrix or the education policy. I stand here with grief. We have witnessed over the years the collapse of our education system. Globally, regionally, we used to be number 2 in the region; Algeria was the top and Zimbabwe was the second in terms of education.
I will give you the statistics of our pass rate in schools. In 2022, our pass rate had gone to 40%, but we used to be around 80% to 90% pass rate for both secondary and primary schools. In 2023, we rose by five points and we are now at 45%. Currently, we are at 49%, which is below 50%. This is quite heartening because education should be the driver of our economical development.
If you look at gender disparity, the percentages between females and males, the difference is around five percent, 53% to 43%, but it is not something that we can take pride in. What are the factors? There are school dropouts. Out of 15 809 schools in the country, we have had about 15 000 school dropouts in the country every year and that is a huge number. If you look at the age groups of drop-outs, you will still find that even at primary school level because of the distance. When we inherited this jewel…
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: On a point of order Madam President. The motion that I presented to the House was talking more about ECD, early childhood and people are now losing focus. They are now talking about secondary education. We want to solve the problem of early childhood education. Let us talk more about early childhood. That is what is in the motion.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Thank you very much. I think you are right. I was listening to someone who was talking to me. I think the mover is right and is reminding you that we must go back to what he said and what the motion says, for the benefit of our young children. When you need to say something about education in general, you can move a motion and you are free to do that.
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: Thank you, I know I was going to say a little more, but well, I refrain. I will start with BEAM. When we inherited the Jewel for Africa in 1980, the distance between one school to another was in the range of 20 kms. The Government of the day, since 1980, reduced that distance to 10 kms. As we speak today, the furthest student will travel a distance of 10 kms, it is still far too long. If an infant child is to travel a 10 km distance, he will take three hours on average to the school. They will leave at 6 o’clock in the morning and walk in the dark during the night. I am talking about the rural setup. They will arrive at school around 9.00 a.m. and they will have lost two hours of school work.
The infant is tired and the next hour that child will be sleeping in class because they will be tired. You have lost four hours and around 11.00 o’clock, or 12.00 o’clock, she is supposed to go back. Again, she will sleep there because she will be tired and wait maybe for the brother who is in a higher class so that they can go home. If you were to evaluate that child, you would notice that he went to school for only two hours. That is how we lose these children. Catch them while they are young and we are losing them while they are young.
This is how we are losing them. As a proposal, let us reduce the distance between one school to another to five kilometres at most. On the quality of education, what attracts the qualified teachers is the road infrastructure. How does one get to a school in Tsholotsho? The qualified teacher will look at whether the school is accessible and whether there is a clinic near the school. Are there shops near the school?
So, at the end of the day, that teacher will not be attracted to go and teach in that school. What then happens is that the only person who will go there because we have a pool of unemployed people, unqualified teachers who will be deployed to go there without expertise, and then you are not going to get the product that we sought to get. It really dampens and affects our quality of education. Those are the factors that affect our education system in this country.
The other factors which this Government should really consider are the deployment of the qualified teachers. So, because of those reasons that I have given, the qualified teachers are unable to go and teach in rural areas. They will compete in the urban setup up and you will find that even today, if you are to compare the pass-rate in the primary and secondary schools, it is quite relatively low. I will tell you, for example, from where I am coming from, when I went to school, there were no desks and benches. I went to grade one in a church. However, today's children Madam President, cannot be exposed to the same environment we went through. We cannot have a child who does not have a textbook, a pen and a desk in ECD. So, these are the challenges. If we are to improve our education, we need to equip our schools and teachers with these materials. Then last but not least, I will come back to Hon. Senator Zindi. I will end with that.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Order Hon. Senator Tshabangu!
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: Madam President, this is Senate and we should not behave like kids. We should not really invoke our emotions. We are so respectful and my bench is so respectful but if she wants us to behave unreasonably, we will do it.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon.! Hon.!
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: We will do it Madam President. We have never interjected any Member who speaks from that side.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Can we please have Order Hon. Senator Tshabangu. I want to understand what was said that disturbed you so that I know what I can do. You went on and on. Why? Why?
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: She knows it Madam President.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: If the Chair asks, I think – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: Madam President, we need your guidance. We should not behave like the lower House, we are adults and this is not the first time she has done this.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Senator, I think I support you that this is a House of mature people. Yes, I support you. However, now I am not happy about what you are doing. I ask you, what was it that was said that disturbed you? You did not even help me with that. So, how do I maybe reprimand her? How? Can you please proceed? Hon. Senators, I think the Hon. Senator is saying the truth. I have told the House that this is not a House of maybe young people where you, paunobhon’a hmm, no, no, no! If you are an Hon. Senator, you stand up with your fact, point of order and you are allowed to stand up and talk. Can the whole House please understand that? I thank you. Hon. Senator Tshabangu, can you please proceed and finish.
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: Madam President, I am already distracted, so I will end on this note. Thank you so much Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa, for bringing in this motion. I wish I could have done justice but those who have power have really disabled me. We wish them well in their endeavours but we will continue interacting in the manner which we usually do. I want to say, we have presented ourselves as a genuine, critic opposition and we have presented ourselves as mature people in this House. Look at the attendance, we are even far better than the ruling party. Thank you so much.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Senator Tshabangu, instead of maybe you complaining about your colleague, order! If you proceed with the talking on behalf of others, you have taken my duty. Please, leave me with my…
HON. SEN. TSHABANGU: I withdraw.
THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Yes, thank you. I was being promised that there are some translators and the translation can proceed. So, I still go back to those who wanted to debate. Hon. Mlotshwa? Yes, I know what is happening.
*HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Thank you Madam President and I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to discuss this quite pertinent issue, an issue that is dear to all of us. Senator Mavenyengwa brought this quite pertinent debate and we thank the Hon. Senator because this is dear to me, it is close to my heart, which is an issue that pertains to elementary education.
Looking at the rural populace,it is a constituency that I represent in this august House. We are talking about the issue of giving equal opportunities to children in urban and rural areas, which means that there is a gap that emanates from inadequate facilities for learning and playing. However, looking at the curriculum which is given out to children now, it is not only theoretical but there are practical lessons including sporting activities, so it is important to have infrastructure that covers all that.
The other point Hon. President, is that from different rural areas, teachers of both genders are engaged in different communities despite the fact that some cannot communicate in local languages and this makes it quite difficult, for example where I come from in Matabeleland in the south, in Plumtree, Kalanga is the local language. However, you would find that at the ECD level, there is no Kalanga teacher yet we are saying that as the Government, I do not know how to say it but we encourage the teaching of basic elementary education in the mother language. So, when there is no teacher for the mother language, it becomes quite difficult for that child to learn properly. When you go to Gwanda, they speak Sotho, when you go to Beitbridge they speak Venda, Mzingwane, Esigodini and other areas, there is Ndebele, so it is our desire that if His Excellency gives me that Ministry, I have a vision. My vision is that I believe that ECD teachers should be recruited locally from the local communities, whether it is the Kalanga community or whichever community. Hon. President, this means that there is no need for providing accommodation for the ECD teacher who comes from the local community and this means that the development of that particular community is quite pertinent even to the local teacher. The recruitment of teachers by responsible authorities, I believe, should embrace that. Even in Manicaland, those who speak Manyika, Chikalanga and Isindebele should be in the database and we need to have numbers of the required teachers.
The other point that I have noted is that as a Government, for these learners to learn, we need authors who write books in different local languages. At one point, there was an issue on the social media platform, on Twitter, when a book was published in broken Ndebele. I believe that it is important to engage local writers who write and publish books. We need historians who write history books in their native languages so that children learn languages from an elementary stage, from a young age.
I also believe that the other challenge in terms of engaging teachers who teach at the ECD level in rural areas is that there is no electricity in most rural schools and there is no network, which means that for urban learners who have parents who have access to the internet and can assist that student whilst for a rural learner, there is no network, there is no phone and it is quite difficult for that student. Looking at ECD learners, they have a lot of books and a need for printing. In the local shops, there might not be any network and there might not be stationery shops where they can print their projects and books.
As a nation, we need to bridge the gap between the rural and urban populace. Adding on to what Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa said, that His Excellency the President is a visionary who envisions a nation where no one is left behind, we urge that the Government should look into this issue so that it is not just spoken about because there is a saying which says “action speaks louder than words”. It must not be words only, but you would find that when someone asks questions about how you say this as a Government, then we say that no one will be left behind, yet we might be leaving some behind. When you lead, sometimes you might lead on a race, you might run, leaving behind people but when you turn back, you discover that some will be left behind, especially in education.
I have a vision and I have a lot of visions Madam President. I believe that there must be free education for all at the elementary level or at the primary level. This is going to help us because when you look at the model that we are implementing, the BEAM model does not pay and this is affecting the operations of schools. They cannot develop their infrastructure because BEAM is lagging in terms of payments, which means that ECD learners do not get books, computers, desks and other amenities. I normally encourage rural schools to provide food for young learners because when young learners go to school while they are hungry, they might face a lot of challenges.
If we do that as a nation, giving free education for all at primary level, then we would also say that as they grow up in secondary education, parents will begin to pay for their food, which means that from ECD to Grade 7, as a parent, I will be preparing myself for the senior grades.
The other point that I have is that where we come from, we have taken it as people who depend on aid from the Government, requesting aid from the Government, not knowing that we are the Government, we own the land. There are a lot of companies that are found in different communities, which are prospecting and extracting gold and other resources. After mining, they do not plough back into the community through corporate social responsibility. Madam President, they should build roads so that schools become accessible and after doing that, there is a need for improving classrooms so that rural learners would have equal access. There must be laptops and other technological gadgets because when you give a rural learner a laptop, you would find that as an ECD learner, if they are astute, then they will be able to use these computers. Those students who have access to resources have better access.
At one point, I went to Sweden and I discovered that there are no private schools in Sweden. You would find that schools are public, even the Prime Minister's children go to public schools and the Government indeed supports all schools, regardless of whether they are private schools or not. We need to bring equity or equality to schools, whether they are Government schools or not, but it is important not to disadvantage learners who are in public institutions so that they get quality education.
It is my desire Madam President and I thank Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa for bringing this important motion to this august House. This motion, which is in this august House, is quite important. I believe that we are going to continue engaging in this discourse so that we come up with recommendations that are going to help rural students, even those who are in urban areas.
Madam President, I have noted that issues related to do with hunger are found even in urban areas. In rural areas, we have a lot of farm produce like melon and what a view. In urban areas, they do not have access to farm produce. I believe that it is important to feed learners when they get to school and it is easy for them to learn when they are full. With these few words, I want to thank you Madam President and I end by saying thank you very much for giving me this opportunity.
*HON. SEN. MUNZVERENGWI: Thank you, Madam President. I want to add my voice to this motion, which was moved by Senator Mavenyengwa. This is a very important motion, starting with teachers who teach ECD.
I believe that when they are taught, their mode of education is different from those who are at the primary level. Madam President, when you go to different areas that were alluded to by other Hon. Senators in border lying areas, you would find that the mother travels for a long distance after waking early in the morning to take her child to school. After doing that, this child would arrive a bit tired and sometimes it becomes difficult to concentrate for the ECD learner due to fatigue.
Madam President, ECD schools are so many in urban areas. It is important for the Government to look into this issue. The construction of ECD schools should be considered in Malipati, Plumtree, Mutoko, and other outlying areas where the issue of empowering those who are able to communicate in different languages is needed. In terms of deployment, ECD teachers should be considered after creating a database because education starts at the elementary level at ECD. So, it is important to educate ECD teachers. This gap will keep growing, especially in disadvantaged communities and rural areas.
You will find that some learners in farming areas travel for 16 kilometers and for those who attend school in either Highfield and Borrowdale, you will find that it is easy for them to pass, because they walk for short distances. After walking for long distances, you will find that students are tired and cannot concentrate in class.
Madam President, my desire is to add on by supporting this motion. I am alluding to the fact that a parent will walk for a long distance while taking their child to school. So, this affects the quality of education of the child. It also affects even the productive time of the mother. What is happening with other ministries is that when they recruit, they look at percentages. They look at 20 percent of the language aspect and this cascades down to teachers. So, when a student teacher is taught in a certain language, the teacher will be deployed in Gwanda or whichever community, whether it is Chipinge the teacher will be deployed in their local community.
When a student is taught in their mother language at ECD level, then that student will be able to grasp a lot of concepts, even in terms of choosing a profession, whether the student wants to be a doctor et cetera. You will find that we need doctors, pilots and other professionals. So, it is quite important to empower communities in their languages. Sometimes you find that some learners attend school in makeshift structures. They do not have proper school structures.
I am quite happy with the motion that was moved by Hon. Senator Mavenyengwa because it allows us to debate on what we desire and a lot of things have already been said in this august House. I believe that those who are capturing this are going to capture them well and those who are responsible for the deployments, I believe that they will have access to this information. These motions are national motions. They are not restricted to one province, but these are national issues that affect the whole nation. So, it is quite important that those who look into these issues should hear the concerns that were raised so that they go to Mudzi, other Binga and border lying areas. After visiting these peripheral areas, I believe that the motion is going to address a lot of these issues. I thank you.
^^HON. SEN. MUPANDE: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the motion which was tabled by Hon. Mavenyengwa on ECD children who learn at an early age. If a child walks a long distance to school, they can sleep along the way and the snake can bite that child. Some parents would think maybe the child has reached school, but the child would have been bitten by a snake. This proactive sense of motion is very indebted to it.
ECD is the foundation of a child's growth, nurturing the child. If a child is nurtured from ECD, the child will grow up very well and will learn more in Grade One. When these children are learning at an early age, you may think that maybe they are playing, but they will be learning more and having more experience than we grown-ups. A child starts learning from three years upwards.
When a child comes home from school at an early age and you ask them what they learned, they will tell you exactly what they learned. These teachers, who have been mentioned above, have a mammoth task. They are doing a lot of work and I implore the Government to help these teachers because they are teaching these children a lot. When a child is sick, the teachers are the ones who nurture the children and take care of the children. If the Government can look into that, these children can get cottages to sleep in nearby areas in comfortable accommodation.
Oftentimes, the teacher will be coming from training and needs things like a network because teachers require internet access during teaching, especially when they have laptops or computers. The teacher will tell you that you are teaching ECD if you have more equipment. For example, if a child comes from our homestead, from Mupande to the nearest school, it is a long distance. So, we take into account that there should be electricity and computers where the teachers are teaching, especially in rural settlements, especially what the new curriculum emphasises on providing children with a comprehensive foundation, enabling them to learn and grow. From early childhood, children develop skills and interests that shape their future. By nurturing their development during these formative years, we can foster a strong foundation that allows them to pursue their dreams, whether becoming a pilot, doctor or any other profession. It is essential to recognise the importance of early childhood development and not underestimate its impact on a child's future success.
When we observe children learning in English, we see them acquiring a new language and expanding their knowledge. It is impressive to see young children greet adults in English, showcasing their early language skills. This highlights the importance of early childhood development, which lays the foundation for future learning. As parents and society, we should recognise our role in supporting this development. While the Government plays a part, we should also contribute. For instance, in our community we have built a school for Early Childhood Development but we need additional resources such as desks, chairs and stationery. By working together with the Government, we can provide our children with the tools they need to succeed. Let us prioritise Early Childhood Development and recognise its significance in shaping our children's futures. Thanks to the Hon. Member who brought this motion.
HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA: I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. SEN. ZVIDZAI: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
MOTION
REPORT ON THE 69TH SESSION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN (CSW 69) HELD IN NEW YORK CITY
Tenth Order read: Adjourned debate on motion on the Report on the 69th Session of the Convention on the Status of Women (CSW 69) on the Review and Appraisal of the Implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcomes of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly
Question again proposed.
HON. SEN. MLOTSHWA: Madam President, I would really like to add my voice to this debate, taking into consideration that the patron of the Zimbabwean Women's Parliamentary Caucus is our own President of the Senate and we do have the Chairperson of the ZWPC here in this House. I would like before I debate to call upon female parliamentarians, female Senators to debate this motion by Hon. Senator Mbohwa. Madam President, I rise today to commend and applaud the dedicated team that travelled to the United States to participate in the 69th Session of the Convention on the Status of Women (CSW 69). Your presence at this critical global gathering is a statement to Zimbabwe's unwavering commitment to advancing gender equality and women's rights at the world stage.
Madam President, the review and appraisal of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, along with outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly, are not just formal procedures; they are essential milestones in our ongoing journey towards gender justice. These programmes serve as vital tools that allow Zimbabwe to gauge how far we have come in implementing our commitments, assess the effectiveness of our strategies and identify areas where urgent action is needed. As highlighted in the comprehensive report from CSW 69, the Session provided a platform to celebrate the progress made since 1995, such as increased women's participation in decision-making spaces.
However, it also underscored that this progress remains fragile and too slow, especially in the face of intersecting crises and economic challenges. The report clearly states that no nation has yet fully achieved gender equality and that the promises made three decades ago cannot be deferred any longer. These reflections remind us that our work is far from over. Madam President, our participation, their participation, ensured that Zimbabwe's voice was heard on issues such as the importance of strengthening national institutions, like Zimbabwe's Women's Parliamentary Caucus and securing adequate funding for gender mainstreaming.
Moreover, the side events organised by our Government, including those intergenerational dialogues and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration, demonstrated Zimbabwe's proactive stance. For example, Hon. Senator Chinomona, our Madam President, emphasised the importance of building alliances with the private sector and fostering intergenerational mentorships, aligning with the global call to sustain momentum through collaboration and shared responsibility. The outcomes of the CSW69 included the adoption of a powerful political declaration reaffirming commitments to eradicate poverty and violence against women, close the gender digital divide and promote women's leadership in peace and security.
The declaration also emphasises the need for better gender data and statistics to inform policymaking tools that are vital for us to track our progress effectively. Furthermore, regional and continental side events addressed pressing issues such as the gender digital divide exacerbated by artificial intelligence and alarming HIV/AIDS statistics affecting young women and girls across Sub-Saharan Africa. These discussions Madam President, serve as a reminder that our national strategies must be comprehensive, intersectional and rooted in regional and global best practices. Our delegation Madam President, participating in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, emphasised the critical role of legislators in resisting backlash against women's rights in enacting laws that uphold gender equality.
The report also highlights that progress depends heavily on involving men and boys, reinforcing gender equality, shared societal responsibility. Madam President, Hon. Senators, the report underscores that moving from promises to action requires strengthened institutions, dedicated resources and legislative reforms. It calls on us to prioritise gender-responsive budgeting, support the care economy and the ratification of regional instruments such as the AU Convention on ending violence against women and girls, an instrument which Zimbabwe must ratify to demonstrate our commitment.
Madam President, we thank the team for their efforts, the Hon. Members who went to New York. Their efforts are highly recommended. Through engaging with regional bodies such as SADC and AU are crucial steps along aligning our national policies with global commitment. The women's empowerment in addressing the persistent challenges of gender violence is aligned with our national priorities.
Once again Madam President, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for your dedication and service. Your participation not only elevates Zimbabwe's position on the international stage but also ensures that our country remains committed to achieving tangible progress in gender equality. It is my hope that the insight gained and the commitments made during the CSW 69 will translate into concrete actions that benefit every Zimbabwean, woman and girl. Thank you and may we continue to collectively work towards a more just and equitable society. I thank you.
HON. SEN. MBOHWA: Madam President, I move that the debate do now adjourn.
HON. CHINYANGA: I second.
Motion put and agreed to.
Debate to resume: Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
On the motion of HON. SEN. GOTORA, seconded by HON. SEN. MAVENYENGWA, the House adjourned at Twenty-Five Minutes past Four o’clock p.m.