Coltart to get schools on track with six-step plan

In a memo to directors at the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, Coltart identified six key areas that needed urgent attention to get the countrys education system back on track. These were to restore the ability of ministry officials, especially PEDs to supervise, monitor and evaluate educational programmes through the provision of vehicles; attend to basic maintenance by rehabilitating toilets, roofs, gutters and water supplies; provide basic learning materials such as textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils, chalk and furniture; rehabilitate special schools for bright pupils, who will be offered government grants; revamp the curriculum development unit to support the re-orientation of the syllabus to meet the countrys practical needs and computerise the ministrys offices.

The priorities were developed in response to the findings of the National Education Advisory Board survey last year, which painted a grim picture of the education system countrywide.

Teachers unions have generally welcomed Coltarts new initiatives.

Zimtas chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu, said the plan could mean an end to the chaos that had dominated the education sector for several years. Ndlovu, however, said more attention should be paid to the issue of teachers salaries, which the union says are too low. The teachers are demanding minimum monthly salaries of $500.