HIGHER and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo has scoffed at government plans to introduce a mandatory five-month industrial attachment programme for Ordinary Level students, describing the move as queer, more signs that the government was at odds on the direction the country should take.
By Nqobile Bhebhe
Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora last week said the programme would start next year with “O” Level graduates required to undergo attachment at State and private institutions before proceeding to “A” Level or any other tertiary institution.
“It’s unheard of that ‘O’ Level students do industrial attachments. That’s for higher and tertiary education students,” Moyo said on micro-blogging site Twitter at the weekend.
Moyo’s remarks were echoed by MDC national spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi who said the move was a ploy to brainwash pupils for political gain.
“The MDC is disturbed by attempts by Zanu PF to indoctrinate and brainwash the young people of Zimbabwe ‘Border Gezi militia national service’ style through the introduction by the Primary and Secondary Education ministry of a compulsory ‘O’ Level five-month industrial attachment programme in the uniformed forces, government departments and private institutions,” he said.
“To us, the timing of this programme does not make sense since industry is operating at below 70% capacity and tertiary students are failing to find attachments, resulting in more than 70% of graduates being unemployed.
“The only sense it makes to us is that it is yet another campaign gimmick by Zanu PF for the 2018 general elections for which the citizens will pay dearly afterwards, as has become the norm.”
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Chihwayi said the programme was bound to fail “as it will be abused by the Zanu PF system to suit its selfish ends and drain the little that is left from companies and parents”.
