CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) treasurer Mbuso Siso has castigated government’s plans to rename some schools in line with heritage-based education.
This has led to an outcry that priority should be placed on improving pass rates at some schools that are still at zero.
However, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry quickly indicated that no school names have been officially changed with the reported list of name changes being part of an internal consultative process and a request for suggestions, rather than a final policy directive.
According to the ministry, government is conducting preliminary research to review suggestions from stakeholders — including school authorities, local communities, parents and alumni.
The name-change proposal is tied to government's broader Heritage-Based learning policy, which seeks to align educational institutions with indigenous history, values and local icons.
However, the proposal has generated mixed reactions across Zimbabwe with some communities welcoming the move as a way to decolonise local infrastructure.
Critics, however, argue that the government should prioritise constructing new institutions and infrastructure over renaming existing ones.
In an interview with Southern Eye, Siso said there was a serious shortage of schools in Matabeleland among other regions of Zimbabwe.
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“The government should focus on building more schools to fight low pass rates and improve our education system,” he said.
Siso said the school shortage led to congestion in the few available institutions, which he said was a sign of underdevelopment.
“We appeal to the government to desist from school renaming and focus on pertinent issues that improve the education system of this country,” he said.
“Let us focus on nation building, electoral reforms, peace and unity which are the key issues towards building a better Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association chairperson Steven Nkomo warned that the proposed name changes can have a negative impact if done without proper consultation.
“We have no challenges with schools from the low-density suburbs as most of them bear the names of our national heroes,” he said.
“The challenge could be in those schools from the eastern suburbs, we must also consider the issue of diversity — we are a diverse nation.”
Nkomo said some of the English names given to the schools in the eastern suburbs had historical significance.
“This affects us as an association especially when looking for donations from donors [as] they tell us that we do not recognise them,” he said.
“Maintaining some of the names gives them confidence that we also recognise the roles they continue to play in the development of the community.”
Residents also weighed in saying the arbitrary changes may end up having political connotations.
