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Schools to close a week before election day: Mavima

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PRIMARY and Secondary education minister, Paul Mavima has said schools will close for a week before elections to pave way for the polls, as some education institutions will be used as polling stations.

PRIMARY and Secondary education minister, Paul Mavima has said schools will close for a week before elections to pave way for the polls, as some education institutions will be used as polling stations.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

In an interview at the Bulawayo 2018 edition of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF), Mavima said they will present the issue to the Cabinet and bring back the closing date for the second term to a week before to allow elections.

“We know that it will be distractive to have elections on July 30, when schools are in session. This is something we are going to present to the Cabinet and maybe we can bring forward the closing for the second term by a week or so to allow us and have elections,” the minister said.

“Most of our schools are polling stations for elections. We will deal with that and our permanent secretary will be working on that, so that maybe we close a week earlier to allow elections to take place. Then we will find a way to catch up for that lost week.”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa proclaimed July 30 as the date for elections.

Initially, schools were due to close on August 9.

Mavima said he was pleased that they have excellent schools, which they identify as champion schools.

“We have very excellent schools that we identify as champion schools. Schools that are taking their own initiative to implement our new curriculum to the fullest.

Coming up with practical projects that serve arenas for the instruction for the education of our learners under the new curriculum. The same projects generate resource for schools,” he said.