Chinese partnership strengthens Zimbabwe’s educational leadership in Africa

By Byron Mutingwende   In a quest to improve the quality of education and consolidate Zimbabwe’s status as the leading country on literacy levels in Africa, a Cabinet minister has proffered a cocktail of measures to improve the sector.   Speaking during the official handover of the Zimbabwe-China Friendship High School in Harare on Thursday…

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Highlighting challenges of PWDs towards sustainable and resilient society

By Byron Mutingwende   Caregivers and members of the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) held a meeting to highlight challenges faced by persons with disabilities and proffer solutions that lead to sustainable and resilient solutions to this marginalised group.   Speaking at a belated commemorative workshop to observe the International Day of Persons…

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Sport serves as a safe zone for vulnerable girls

By Byron Mutingwende   The girl child is the most vulnerable in the community due to a multiplicity of factors, chief among them gender based violence. In an effort to create safe zones for the girl child against this menace, the Zimbabwe Community Health Intervention Research (ZICHIRe) behaviour change project has introduced sporting activities targeting…

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Going green a pathway to sustainable growth, productivity and jobs

By Byron Mutingwende   Born and bred in rural Marondera where farmers used organic farming to grow crops, Clive Nyapokoto experienced the hard and intense labour involved in the daily farm activities which sometimes he had to do before going to school in the morning. That background motivated him to come up with innovations to…

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Grassroots women mothers of children with disability grapple with adverse effects of climate change

By Byron Mutingwende   The Global Community is living no stone unturned in their endeavour to develop sustainable community responsive strategies to ensure adaptability and resilience in the wake of extreme hunger and severe poverty. Zimbabwe Parents of the Handicapped Children joined the Global Community in making frantic efforts to ensure grassroots women particularly mothers…

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Women overcome poverty through food and nutrition security programmes

Women overcome poverty through food and nutrition security programmes   By Byron Mutingwende   Ward 9 and 19 of Chipinge District are role models of successful small-scale farming under the land reform programme. The Food and Nutrition Security Committee (FNSC) initiated programmes saw women in the wards running successful banana, cassava, poultry, dairy and value…

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Women and girls are givers of life – they need protection and respect

By Byron Mutingwende   “In Shona they say “Musha Mukadzi” loosely translated to: The home is the woman. In Ibbo language they say “Nneka” meaning Mother is Supreme. All these narratives and proverbs are meant to debunk the widely held notion that the African culture is predominantly male-chauvinist,” says sociologist John Maramwira.   From 25…

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UN spearheading resilience uptake in Masvingo

By Byron Mutingwende   Resilience science involves bringing together multiple strategies targeting a variety of stakeholders who are affected differently by the shocks that arise out of the negative effects of climate change. True to its modus operandi, the United Nations (UN) Zimbabwe team toured Masvingo Province to ensure communities embrace this phenomenon.   To…

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Technocrats explore ways of harnessing the youth demographic dividend

By Byron Mutingwende   Technocrats have urged the Government of Zimbabwe in partnership with development partners to find ways of harnessing the youth demographic dividend for economic growth.   The calls were made at the youth investment and inclusive growth conference held in Harare on 3 October 2017 that was organised by the ministry of…

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ZUNDAF advances SDGs agenda

The United Nations office in Zimbabwe has fully embraced the 2030 Agenda which pursues the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its roadmap for inclusive development. The United Nations Team in Zimbabwe, in support of national development priorities and in partnership with development partners, has reiterated its commitments articulated under the 2016-2020 Zimbabwe United Nations Development…

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Climate change impacts human development

By Patricia Mashiri The Zimbabwe Human Development report focuses on critically analysing issues pertaining to climate change and its impacts on the livelihood of people, food security, health and education. The report was guided by Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and the Ministry of Macroeconomic Planning and Investment to provide an in-depth analysis…

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College students urged to develop scientific and technological innovations

By Tinashe Gwarazimba and Tinotenda Mapfumo   Harare Polytechnic students have been urged to be innovative by coming up with innovative ideas that bring about technological improvements.   This is because for a country that largely relies on imports for most of its products, any homegrown solution to homegrown problems is a welcome development.  …

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Book explores genesis and evolution of developmental states

By Byron Mutingwende   The book ‘Towards Democratic Developmental States in Southern Africa.’ explores the genesis and evolution of the ‘developmental state’ concept flagging out useful lessons from the East Asian tigers and presents the conditions necessary for the emergence and consolidation of a ‘democratic developmental state’ in Southern Africa.   Authored by renowned authors,…

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UZ slammed for refusing admission of student activist

By Patricia Mashiri In a development that is likely meant to muzzle student activism, the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) authorities have rejected an application for Masters Studies by the institution’s former SRC Vice President, Zivai Mhetu. Mhetu, who is also the national spokesperson for ZINASU had applied for admission as a Masters student in International…

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Mugabe University Grant: A Case of Misplaced Priorities: CiZC

By Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) is alarmed and worried at the wanton abuse of public funds following the award of close to US$1bn to President Mugabe to build a private university.  The award follows an approval by cabinet to build a US$1 billion university in Mashonaland Central Province through a…

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Zimbabwean Wins Inaugural ALUSB Chairman’s Scholarship

By Wallace Mawire The African Leadership University School of Business (ALUSB) has announced Zimbabwean Lawyer, Zanudeen Makorie as the first recipient of the prestigious Chairman’s Scholarship for Excellence in Business Leadership, a merit based financial award that will cover the full cost of attending their flagship Pan African MBA programme in Kigali, Rwanda. According to Godfrey Chesang and…

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Zimbabwe moves towards ratification of 1954 Hague Convention

By Byron Mutingwende   Zimbabwe is moving towards the ratification of the two protocols of the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the event of armed conflict, it has emerged.   Speaking at a stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Harare recently, Damir Dijakovic, the Regional Cultural Advisor of the United Nations, Educational, Scientific…

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Education should cater for special needs of children with disabilities

By Byron Mutingwende   Children with disabilities have special needs that should be addressed for them to access education without hindrances or barriers. Speaking during a Worldwide Campaign for Education for Children with Disabilities held under the banner “Ring the Bell”, Faith Sithole, the Head of St. Giles Special School in Harare said that all…

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Ministry urged to address concerns over new curriculum

By Byron Mutingwende   The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has been urged to consider concerns by stakeholders over the newly introduced curriculum. The new primary and secondary school curriculum has been met with considerable outcry; with many within the education sector pointing out that this policy lacked sufficient consultative processes to ensure that…

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Multilingual education promotes cultural diversity, development

By Byron Mutingwende   Multilingual education stands out as one way of promoting sustainable development and cultural diversity, it has emerged.   Speaking at a discussion forum held at the United Nations Information Centre in Harare Wednesday, 22 February 2017, Professor Hubert Gijzen, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Regional Director of…

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