Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has threatened to drive out all non-local teachers in Matabeleland, accusing them of contributing to low pass rates while blaming authorities for failing to address the issue of recruitment.
The party argues that in line with government policy, school children especially those in the Early Childhood Development classes have to be trained or taught in their mother language so they understand better.
This issue has been raised numerous times by a number of stakeholders in Matabeleland while authorities have been reticent about it.
Addressing a rally at Tshabalala Hall, Saturday, MRP leader, Mqondisi Moyo, declared ‘2020 as the year of radical change’ and vowed the party would address systematic unfairness.
“The pass rate in Matabeleland is continuously dropping because our children don’t understand when taught by Shona teachers. We were once arrested in Lupane for speaking out against a non- Ndebele speaking headmistress. Now to our surprise we heard Lupane West Member of Parliament, Martin Khumalo, saying he doesn’t want Shona teachers yet he wasn’t arrested,” he said.
Moyo questioned why opinion leaders in Matabeleland were termed tribal when they spoke about such issues.
“Current minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cain Mathema also confirmed that government policy was children should be taught in their mother language, yet he has not been arrested. Nkayi South MP, Stars Mathe has also spoken about the issue.
“Even President Emmerson Mnangagwa when he was at Bulawayo State House recently, concurred the policy said children should be taught in their mother tongue. How come these individuals have not been arrested unlike us, is it because they are in Zanu PF? Be geared, we are chasing away Shona teachers who can’t speak local languages this year,” Moyo claimed.
In 2016 at Lupane, some MRP members including villagers and the school development chairman were arrested after they demanded the removal of a non-Ndebele speaking headmistress, Millet Bonyonge, from Mlamuli Secondary School.
The headmistress was later transferred with six other teachers from the same school by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Recently, members of Parliament took the education Minister, to task on the government’s skewed teacher recruitment policy, which they said favoured outsiders at the expense of locals but Mathema failed to answer satisfactorily.
Meanwhile, the MRP leader also said the party would reclaim land, mines and building that had been possessed at the expense of locals.
“People from other areas were resettled here such as in Umguza. We will carry out our own land reform programme. We are also looking at mining claims that were given to outsiders and buildings were locals have been pushed out,” Moyo underscored.
Selective justice arresting those not in power