Ray inspiration among youth

Outgoing Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray
(picture courtesy of  harare.usembassy.gov)

Every good thing comes to an end, and this month marks the end of Ambassador Ray's duties as American ambassador to Zimbabwe. The ambassador has shared a vision that many elder diplomats and politicians have never exercised, that is cultivating the youth and nurturing them in every possible way.He has smoothly weaved himself into the youths and now seems like a part of us, through his concern. Since coming into office in 2009, the ambassador has been vigorously involved with youth initiatives throughout the country and more recently the English Access Microscholarship Program for disadvantaged children in Mbare. With this kind of vision it is only reasonable to show gratitude, because youths in society nowadays are viewed as a lost cause. As a youth my self, I am grateful that someone came through for us, particularly an outsider paying attention to the youths in Zimbabwe. Although all he can do is encourage because he cannot hold each and everyones hand, that is enough, the concern is enough.This then raises eyebrows and wakes us from our slumber that we the youth have ben bathing in and this is what needs to happen, to wake up and be active. Ambassador Ray said at one point,"Youth should be a time of wonder and exploration; the young should be allowed to enjoy this all too brief period of their lives. At the same time, they should be aided in preparing themselves for the great responsibility they will have to shoulder when childhood has ended and they put away the things of youth.Young people can and should take a more active role in the development of their country, but that must start with self." These are words of wisdom from an experienced "youth"which we must take heed.

Quote taken from and for more of Ambassador Ray's speech visit http://harare.usembassy.gov/ray_on_youth.html

Promoting youth participation in politics

'Youths are the leaders of tommorrow' echos the ever sung out cliche but the most sound advise to be said. It is therefore pertinent for youth to be active and take charge and with the advent of ICT's it has given youths the power to be take charge.The most invigorating youth discussion I've attended would be the one facilitated by Grace Chung and Michael Caldwell, two American students at a Food for Thought session at the U.S Embassy auditorium. Caldwell and Grace gave valid points highlighting that promoting youth participation through social media is the best way to reach out to youths in a world where the new media has become the nucleus of every youths social life. Although this may not seem possible in Africa, research has shown that Africa has twice as many mobile phones as in America. Thus political participation should not apply to America only but to Africa as well. Although the process is an ongoing issue, digital divide is still one of the problems  affecting the information age in Africa . They highlighted that youths are the larger percentage in the population and this plays a part in the political landscape when it comes to voting particularly. Ideological differences also play a part in politics, lately governments have not been striving well under the support of the older generation, ever wondered why? I presume the answer is no, this is because as Grace and Caldwell noted, the older generation is usually angry with the government and are also not comfortable with change and where is development without change!  Youths in Zimbabwe resort to violence and have been usually used as puppets of political parties. Why not use the older generation as the puppets and lets take charge. 

  

Indigenisation to affect education

Children at a rural school use the floor to write
(Picture courtesy of garyschapman.photoshelter.com)

Over the past 10 years the government has vigorously engaged in indigenisation programmes, from the discredited land reform progarmme to the current grab asset programme. The government has proposed to include privately-owned schools to the programme , which they have justified under the indigenisation law.With every educational institution at the mercy of the governmnt it will advently plummet the education system to the ground. The government has shown little or no condsideration for the civil servants particulalry teachers who are constantly at the governments throat over their peanut wages. This then confirms the poor perfomance statndards by many of the government schools which are constantly docked by  the civil strikes and therefore children have to go for weeks without teachers. 




Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere
(Picture courtesy of google.co.zw)

The government is not committed in the educational sector and the poor perfoming government schools have plummeted to the ground due to the governments lack of committment. In the fight to promote black sovereignity, it has however become a much more aggressive approach, that is instead not benefiting the ordinary Zimbabwe whose income is below the datum line, it will not benefit the rural child without a book or classroom. The indigenisation programme is instead discriminating it's own indigenous people. Instead the government should concentrate on improving their own government schools before they can pull other institutions to their household. How will they manage when they cannot even manage at present?