Churches roast Dokora over Nat Pledge

Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Lazarus Dokora

Dokora, has angered the church, parents and teachers with his controversial education reforms which included a proposal for a national uniform for teachers.

Local churches, human rights activists and parents last month took to the streets and protested against what they described as Dokora’s “anti-education policies”.

Some of the activists condemned the National Pledge, dismissing it as an attempt to indoctrinate children with ruling Zanu PF party propaganda.

Emerging from Wednesday’s closed door meeting with Dokora, National Elders of the Church spokesperson Alexander Chisango said they challenged the minister to consult before announcing any policy.

“We said, to avert and prevent a culture of conflict and a culture of social turbulences, there should be engagement with citizens,” he said.

“We also resolved that we want to promote a culture of consultation prior to the announcement of major national policies and we have offered ourselves to be a free resource of wisdom, knowledge and a resource of experience across the board.”

Chisango said the misunderstanding surrounding the National Pledge emanated from poor communication.

“We also agreed that the church will take precautions to help the whole country to shield our schools from unorthodox and immoral social practices that hide under the banner of religion.

“This was more like a damage control and damage healing meeting which was happening and which came in the midst of lots of suspicion and disagreements that people were exchanging, predominantly, through the media,” he said.

Dokora was reluctant to talk to the media, only saying he had been invited by the church to discuss issues of common interest.