Appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Minister of Higher Education Professor Amon Murwira criticised the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics ) Programme saying that it was not benefitting the disadvantaged. The programme which was the brainchild of Murwira’s predecessor, Professor Jonathan Moyo, was said to have many irregularities. Said Murwira
STEM is the ministry itself. It’s what it must do. However, one of the problems that we have seen with the A Level scholarship programme has been fraught with irregularities, that’s why we are doing a forensic audit so that we can qualify on that.
As a policy, government or state money normally goes to the disadvantaged. I think it’s within the Ubuntu, Hunhu philosophy.
The way the scholarship programme has been framed is such that very able people who can pay fees had their children paid for meaning mwana wambuya Deketeke (grandmother Deketeke’s child) who is supposed to be the focus of government money has not been very well catered for.
If a parent can send their children to a private school where monies in excess of $3 000 are being paid per term, they don’t need government support.
Professor Amon Murwira has already suspended the programme saying that the Government is suspending paying fees for Advanced level STEM students.
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The move by prof. Murwira to susped STEM is the most unfortunate thig that has happeed to Zimbabwe i this new and vibrant dispensation, to say the least. How would one reconcile suspending a noble initiative just because of past irregularities at the expense of national benefits? Logic has it that past wrongs are what needs to e straightened as we forge ahead with a very extremely good programme and making sure it targets the marginalized going forward. If I am to qoute words from Prof. Murwira, “STEM is the whole Ministry” ad it literary translates to suspending Ministry even util such time the past administrative ills are remedied, I am justified to conclude, thus, needless to say! The STEM programme wanted us to catch-up with science education reportedly demanding of the nation 16 painstaking years of catching up to do from the time it was launched. How does it then make sense to Prof. Murwira to seek to add even more years to catch up? Does he have anything tangible in his 100 days Plan, I wonder? Come on Prof. what has happened with you, I never thought an academic can fare far much worse than a fly y night politician. Your mandate is never about witch hunting exercises and neither about personalities nor settling of scores. need I remind the Prof. he is holding public office? What is wrong with our Professors? They have developed a ominous knack of hogging the limelight for the wrong reasons, momentarily. Cde. Pres. E.D. Magwagwa, your spot-on so-far Administration does not need any of this! if you could please nip this African behaviour in the bud right there before it rears its ugly head all over the place. Honestly speaking, the Parliamentary Committee must ensure that the Prof. is quickly made to account for his grandstanding yet treacherous actions!
PROF is simply saying no deserving student is on the list and cannot continue to benefit. kana iwe waivapo zvavharana
The only valid point mavhima raised is that the facility should cater for underprivileged .Why scrape a good cause all because the ministers would like the best of both worlds where their children should benefit from the fund while the same government pays for them to attend private schools.l am not sure the professor is aware of the voltility of his job.From my understanding parents and teachers are all ways in consensus when it comes to the education of our children.lest he forgets what happened to Dokora.