The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has criticised ZANU PF for alleged political indoctrination of learners amid reports that they are being forced to participate in the ruling party’s political events.
Earlier this week, hundreds of learners across the country missed lessons after they were reportedly forced to take part in anti-sanctions marches.
ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said learners should be in class preparing for examinations and not being abused by politicians. Said Masaraure:
The ruling party is disrupting learners when they are supposed to be preparing for examinations; this is the same government that is presiding over examination leaks and a serious education crisis.
It is sad to note that the learners being abused are the sons and daughters of working people.
The sons and daughters of the abusers are insulated in elite private schools and exotic learning centres.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) claimed that ZANU PF directed schools in Harare to mobilise pupils to take part in ant-sanctions marches on 25 October.
However, speaking to NewsDay, Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro denied that pupils were forced to march against sanctions. He said:
We have not ordered anyone, but its common cause that civic education on the matter has taken root, and its beginning to strongly espouse Unesco`s definition that children should be educated to become clear-thinking and enlightened citizens who participate in their society’s decisions.
Therefore, as we embrace our curriculum, it follows that without coercion, schools are bent on voluntarily holding anti-sanction events and expressing the impact they have on their society.