Foreign teachers ‘mistreated’ by South Wales police

Three teachers from Zanzibar have made a complaint of mistreatment to the South Wales police after being arrested, handcuffed and strip searched on suspicion of fraud. They had DNA swabs taken, were held for eight hours and released without charge.

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No temporary teachers, less schooling

(IRIN) – A recent government directive forbidding unqualified teachers – estimated to comprise as much as 60 percent of the staff complement at rural schools – is causing severe disruptions to education.

“It is surprising that the government has chosen to stop temporary teachers from resuming duty this [third] term, when it is well known that they form the bulk of teaching staff in rural areas,” said Janet Chikawa, a teacher at a secondary school in Seke district, about 50 km south of the capital, Harare.

“At my school 10 untrained teachers did not come back, and as a result, six subjects are not being taught. Students spend most of their time doing nothing,” she told IRIN.

“Stopping the temporary teachers also means overstretching the few qualified teachers, since we are being forced to teach extra subjects, some of which we did not study in college.”

Chikawa and her colleagues have been demoralized by the extra workload, while their US$150 monthly salary has remained unchanged. She said some teachers were asking parents to pay extra in the form of chickens and maize, especially for pupils preparing to write final exams in the next month.

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Qualified refugee teachers working in un-skilled jobs

Published in TES Magazine on 6 August, 2010 | By: Adi Bloom

Wrenched from their families, forced to flee their homeland in fear of their lives, the vast majority of asylum-seeker teachers in this country then suffer the frustration and indignity of being prevented from resuming their careers

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Zimbabwe Teachers Network- The Official Launch Report

The launch started with the warm welcome to guests by two students, Tanya and Wayne who then introduced the Master of Ceremony, Tazvitya Changata. (DJ Taxi) Tazvitya introduced Dumi Senda, a renowned poet who performed education based poems clearly outlining the plight of children in Zimbabwe. Ras-I-Chy, a Reggae musician rocked the house with a powerful song on the importance of education.

Washington Ali, the guest speaker and chairman of the Racial Equality Council in Essex, paid tribute to the work of the Zimbabwe Teachers Network and asked Barbara and Munashe to remain committed and strong because the magnitude of the problem demanded that.

Tazvitya also relived his experiences in the classroom, an experience he was forced to abandon because of the economic and other hardships.

Albert Nyathi paid tribute to the work of the Zimbabwe Teachers Network to address the critical shortage of teaching and learning resources in Zimbabwe. He recounted how he had had to move his son from one school to the other in search of decent education. In the end his son had to repeat because the lack of resources and teachers had made it almost impossible for him to get a year’s worth of learning. His poetry was a testimony to his love of Zimbabwe and its children.

Munashe Moyo-Godo, teacher, humanitarian, editor and Director of Zimbabwe Teachers Network thanked all in the audience and all who support the cause. The teacher’s speech took the audience down memory lane as she recounted her first year at teaching at a very remote and disadvantaged school in the heart of Buhera. Becoming part of that community exposed her to the desperation and despair that dominated the lives of her students. Their shattered dreams, and hopelessness have continued with her. As a result of her experience Munashe promised herself that given an opportunity she would work towards making disadvantaged students’ hopes, dreams a and aspirations a reality one day. The objectives of the organisation, achievements and the development of the Global Staffroom- Zimteachnet we discussed in great detail. She graciously thanked her husband, Fungai and children for helping to make that promise a reality. Sincere appreciation also went to Secretary Barbara Nyagomo- Mambo, and passionate humanitarian who has dedicated her time, knowledge and skills, and together with Munashe and Fungai, resources to make it possible to accomplish some of their objectives including the launch. ‘You don’t get to meet a lot of people like Barbara, thank you Barbara’ she ended. Introducing Jusa Dementor (Tawanda Sibotshiwe) and Ashley Cloete, the organisation’s Goodwill Ambassadors she described them as talented and well- accomplished and yet humble young people. Thanking the Goodwill Ambassadors for joining the cause she ended ‘sometimes words are just not enough, thank you’.

Albert Nyathi’s poem ‘My daughter’ got Betty Makoni – a champion for the rights and empowerment of girls – fired up. The founder and president of the Girl Child Network Worldwide and founder of Girl Child Network Zimbabwe explained that she had travelled from Botswana that same day specifically to attend the launch because she passionately believes in the noble cause and was fully in support of it. The CNN Heroes Award nominee recounted her poor background as a young orphaned girl and how education was her only escape from a life of poverty to what she is today. Having been rescued from poverty by a Catholic nun she promised to repay and indeed is repaying the generousity by donating her brains for the betterment of girl- children in the future.

Miss Intercontinental Zimbabwe and University student Ashleigh Cloete adorned in her regalia thanked Munashe for the honour of joining Zimbabwe Teachers Network. The Zimbabwe Teachers Network Goodwill Ambassador stressed the need for unity and cooperation in the fight for the children’s lives. After her speech, she then led the Miss Malaika fashion parade.

Goodwill ambassador Jusa Dementor a university student, musician, record producer, multiple award nominee and winner expressed gratitude for the honour and a passionate belief in the cause. The rest of his speech in song that rocked the house and brought the audience to their feet, was a passionate appeal for unity and fighting for a basic right, the right of education for every child. He also donated half of the proceeds from the sale of his music album ‘Konzeresa Riddim’.

Humanitarian Freeman Ncube applauded Munashe and Barbara’s work.

We would like to thank the following people who made the launch a success:
Betina Tina Sibanda- for her tremendous help with organising the event
Rob Strobel- Amarda Events Management who made the promotional video.
The Radio Stations and Presenters who interviewed the Director of the organisation: Padare Radio, DJ Taxi Changata; Panj Pani Radio and Hatnews Elisha Shamba; and Hwamanda Radio, Chris Kusema
One TV Africa filmed the event
Artists who volunteered to perform at the event: Albert Nyathi, Jusa Dementor, Ras-I-Chy, Dumi Senda
Speaker Ashleigh Cloete led the Miss Malaika fashion show
Lion Press Publishers- Sarudzayi Barnes

Speakers: Guest Speaker Mr Washington Ali: Chairman of the Racial Equality Council in Essex, Speaker Betty Makoni: President of the Girl Child Network World Wide, Master of Ceremony and speaker: Mr Tazvitya Changata: Radio Presenter- Padare Radio and former school teacher in Zimbabwe; speaker: Mr Freemen Ncube formally Coventry Refugee Center; speaker: Mr Biti former teacher in Zimbabwe

For pictures go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51661024510&v=photos&ref=ts

By Munashe Moyo- Godo
[email protected]
www.zimteachers.com

Global Staffroom:Zimteachnet

Zimteachnet is a platform developed to facilitate the interchange of ideas between educators and non-educators around the world. Zimteachnet offers information, teaching resources and a platform for productive debate. Zimteachnet is complemented by a member’s page which has member’s profiles and email and a facility for online discussions. At the moment Zimteachnet has over 70 members from around the world.

Who can join? All are welcome. You don’t have to be a teacher or a student BUT you have to be interested in changing lives through education.
Register at www.zimteachers.com

Zimbabwe Teachers Network is an organisation dedicated to enabling a productive education system in disadvantaged Zimbabwe schools, which through: teacher professional development, provision of essential education needs, and harnessing of human resources through interchange with other educators and students worldwide, produces a capable, innovative and self- reliant future generation.

Objectives:

1. Improve learning and teaching in schools through the provision of resources, and promoting self-reliance to disadvantaged schools in Zimbabwe
2. Restock or create libraries or resource centers in needy schools and communities
3. Twin schools in Zimbabwe to schools in other parts of the world with a view to encouraging the interchange of ideas aimed at improving teaching and learning
4. Provide a platform for the interchange of ideas between educators, non-educators and students
5. Support efforts to improve teaching and learning around the world
6. Promote good practice through the provision of information and on-going professional development to teachers
7. Undertake research on sociological, psychological and philosophical issues affecting teaching and learning in Zimbabwe with a view to improving education.

View Promotional Video here

The Zimbabwe Teachers Network will be officially launched in Birmingham on the 31st of October 2009. The venue is Malika House, 81 George Street, Lozells, B19 1NS. Zimbawean musicians: Albert Nyathi, Jusa Demento, Primrose Urombo, Afro Face will be performing at the launch.

For more details contact:

Munashe Moyo-Godo on 07795233614
Barbara Nyagomo-Mambo on 07717164590

Making hopes, dreams and aspirations a reality:Zimbabwe Teachers Network

Zimbabwe Teachers Network is an organisation dedicated to enabling a productive education system in disadvantaged Zimbabwe schools, which through: teacher professional development, provision of essential education needs, and harnessing of human resources through interchange with other educators and students worldwide, produces capable, innovative and self- reliant individuals. The not-for-profit organisation has been running for 5 months now and during this time we have:

• Successfully secured training, from Africa University, for the Head of the English Department at a Chinhoyi High 2 School, in Chinhoyi, as a librarian so that the teacher will be able to manage the school library more effectively. Zimbabwe Teachers Network will partner with Africa University, to donate much needed library books to the school upon completion of training.
• Sourced for textbooks, library books and resource books which are now waiting to be shipped to the Chinhoyi High 2 School in Chinhoyi.
• Provided a platform, called Zimteachnet, for the interchange of ideas between educators and non-educators around the world. Zimteachnet offers information, teaching resources and a platform for productive debate. Zimteachnet is complemented by a member’s page which has members profiles and email and a facility for online discussions. At the moment Zimteachnet has over 50 members from around the world
• Run a writing competition open to students, ages 15- 19, studying in Zimbabwe institutions. The competition has been running from August and ends in October. Prizes will be given to best entries. This will become an annual competition. The objective of the competition is to encourage creativity and research.
• Supported a very successful urgent appeal to raise money for a Zimbabwean student to come to the UK for specialist and urgent life-saving surgery. We hope that she will have a speedy recovery and be able to be back in school soon.
• Are embarking on a project to roof one of the classroom blocks at Chinhoyi High 2 School, which is currently being used without a roof. Funds raised at the launch will go towards this project.

For more information visit Zimbabwe Teachers Network here

View Promotional Video here

The Zimbabwe Teachers Network will be officially launched in Birmingham on the 31st of October 2009. The venue is Malika House, 81 George Street, Lozells, B19 1NS. Zimbawean musicians: Albert Nyathi, Jusa Demento, Primrose Urombo, Afro Face, MC- Chris Kusema will be performing at the launch.

For more details contact:

Munashe Moyo-Godo on 07795233614
Barbara Nyagomo-Mambo on 07717164590

ZTN Group

See Related Article:
Rob Strobel: My Life and Times

Zimbabwe Teachers Network

By Robert Strobel

It is a well known fact that Zimbabwe is a nation in dire need of resources, funding and international aid, but while a sceptical international community are understandably loath to give the Government of National Unity are additional funding while Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF elect loiter in the wings, it falls at the feet of Zimbabweans around the world to make every effort to try and bring relief to the struggling Zimbabwean people.

This week it has been my pleasure to be introduced to a fellow Zimbabwean, who’s passion for her nation and irresolute desire to see Zimbabwe grow has lead her to launch an organisation aimed at providing the critical support to the teaching infrastructure in Zimbabwe that she hopes long term will help with improving the educational standards for students of the schools that Zimbabwe Teachers Network partners with in their endeavour to assist with Zimbabwean education. As the director of Safe Haven Trust it has been very rewarding to talk with Zimbabwean Teachers Network and explore the potential of a partnership to help the children of Zimbabwe.

Munashe Moyo-Godo is one of the most humble and forthright people you will ever meet. A teacher herself, her passion for education is deep routed, and from early in her upbringing she has always cherished learning as the cornerstone of her career. Now living in the UK and in a position to help with establishing a network of like minded Zimbabweans, support agencies, teachers and donors alike, Munashe has set about launching the Zimbabwe Teachers Network here in the UK. With its launch event a few weeks away, Munashe is at the root of a massive effort to bring the plight of teachers in Zimbabwe to the fore front of people attention and make every effort to provide support and funding for projects in Zimbabwe.

Education in Zimbabwe is in a shambles after the economy of the nation collapsed and the support structures for national education fell from beneath the feet of the Ministry of Education. Working with a budget of less than one tenth of what is really required, Education Minister David Coultard knows that without help the situation will only get worse. From being one of the most literate nations in Africa, barely 20% of the students in Zimbabwe today achieve an “O” level pass mark as thousands of children are trapped in the throes of hopelessness. The average school fees for a student attending a government facility range from US$15 to US$35 per term, a figure many families fail to raise leaving a vast number of children without access to education. Teachers earn as little as US$150 a month and must try to house, feed and transport themselves while remaining committed to providing an education to hundreds of students with little in the way of materials, support or incentive. It is any wonder that children anywhere in Zimbabwe are being educated at all.

Teachers have recently begun to return to the educational system in Zimbabwe under the hope that the GNU will bring about a change in the schooling system in the country, but frustrations and empty promises have meant many have taken to strike action and staying away furthering leading to a situation of desperation within the schools that are trying to stay open and offer children a chance. Teachers need support from sustainable sources, in both the provision of resources and fundamental ongoing training and provision of information in order to be effective, and provide a meaningful service to the educational system. The importance of education of tomorrows generation cannot be stressed enough, as these are the very people that carry the hopes and aspirations of a nation. Education lies at the very heart of civilisation and for this reason support must start from the roots in giving teachers a network of alliances and relief necessary to be the best that they can be.

Working on the principal that “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle,” (A James Keller quote) the Zimbabwe Teachers Network aim to provide support to teachers first and foremost. It is their desire to provide inspiration and the tools required to equip teachers with the ongoing skills of imparting noteworthy education to the children of Zimbabwe. They aspire to restock and create libraries and resource centres within schools, work in partnership with schools to ensure that their teachers are given a platform to exchange ideas and transfer skills between educators, teachers and students. The organisation hopes to encourage partnership through twining schools abroad with schools in Zimbabwe and giving teachers the opportunity to work on exchange programs that will continue to grow their skills and value as a teacher. Zimbabwe Teachers Network will also undertake research on sociological, psychological and philosophical issues affecting teaching and learning in Zimbabwe with a view towards improving the education that is offered both by the curriculum and teachers alike.

This hands on approach towards education in Zimbabwe will meet the needs of a nation hungry for help as it strives to pull itself into the 21st century. It is heart-warming to see Zimbabweans at the very core of this endeavour and it is this realisation of Zimbabweans that the international community are not going to do it for them that has lead to leadership arising from many corners. It is the grim reality that faces Zimbabweans in every facet of life daily. A nation on the edge, being held together by the determination and effort of those who are lucky enough to live abroad pouring back millions of dollars in personal finances that keep the country afloat. Much of Zimbabwe relies on the efforts of its people living in the Diaspora to survive while its leaders milk the country dry of its natural resource and international aid. While it is heart warming to see such commitment and drive, it is without our help that this nation and its people survive. Wonder then if you will how much more could be achieved by such organisations with a little help from the rest of us. We are all living through tough times, but the reality for us is that we can afford to miss £5 a month to support such an effort and still live a life of comfort and ease, while reality for Zimbabweans is that without our support they will go completely without.

My challenge to you today is to search your heart and find it within yourself to not allow people with so much soul, grit and determination not to fight on alone. I challenge each of you reading this post today to find it within yourself to put your money where your mouth is and pledge your support to the type of organisation that you know will change people’s lives right now. Safe Haven Trust and Zimbabwe Teachers Network are just two of the groups that you could support, groups that will be able to make a difference right now, and groups that really do need your help to survive. Make a difference today. - http://robert-strobel.com

Watch the Zimbabwe Teachers Network Promotional Video here

ZIMBABWE TEACHERS NETWORK
SAFE HAVEN TRUST

Teachers say GNU has failed to deliver

By Owen Chikari

MASVINGO – The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe PTUZ yesterday attacked the inclusive government saying it has failed to deliver, resulting in people losing faith in it.

Addressing journalists at a press club discussion organised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa here PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said Zimbabweans had never had  a government which has failed to deliver like the inclusive government.

Zhou, who described the inclusive government as a marriage of convenience between the two MDC parties and Zanu-PF, said the generality of Zimbabweans are still suffering while workers have been reduced to beggars.

“Never in the history of this country have we had a government which has failed to deliver like this one”, said Zhou.

“Workers are relying on allowances only which are not even enough to meet their basic needs while violence and suffering is continuing in the countryside”.

“Giving USD100 a month to professionals is a mockery and we are saying that they have failed to deliver”.

“The government cannot say it does not have money when it can afford to pay ghost workers like members of the national youth service”.

“We thought after 100 days in office the inclusive government should have been seen trying to improve the lives of the people but instead the living standards are deteriorating in the country”.

Zhou said political violence was continuing in the countryside with some teachers having fled their schools .

“As I speak now we have teachers who have been chased away from their schools by Zanu-PF supporters”.

He said parties in the inclusive government were pretending that all was well when people were still suffering.

The PTUZ boss said he had never met a minister who lacks basic public service knowledge like Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro.

Mukonoweshuro is the minister of public service who among other things should be responsible for the welfare of the entire civil service.

“I think the MDC-T should have given minister Mukonoweshuro a different ministry because he has failed to address the needs of the Zimbabwean workers”, said Zhou.

“In discussions we have had with minister Mukonoweshuro it appears he does not even know how the civil service operates”.

Mukonoweshuro could not be reached for comment yesterday. However the minister is on record as saying he will soon improve remuneration for government workers once the situation improves financially.

He also said that the government had embarked on an audit of civil servants in order not to continue to pay ghost workers

Irvin Dzingirai Zanu-PF legislator for Chivi south who also attended the discussion differed with Zhou saying that enough strides had been made by the inclusive government to ensure that there is peace in the country.

“What we need is peace and normalcy in the country and these have been achieved by the inclusive government,” said Dzingirai.

“We have a national healing process whereby the principals of the three parties in the inclusive government are determined to see Zimbabweans living in peace”.

The MDC issued a statement on Saturday to say Zanu-PF militia had gone on a rampage on Tuesday, beating up suspected MDC supporters in the Manoti area of Gokwe, in the Midlands.

“This wave of violence comes ahead of the 10th anniversary celebratory rally lined up for tomorrow in Midlands North at the Gokwe centre,” the statement said.

“MDC views this as an attempt by Zanu-PF to intimidate MDC supporters from attending the celebratory rally marking its 10th year in existence.” – Zimbabwe Times

Teachers urged to live as asylum seekers during Lent