Pregnancy and studying

Velisiwe Mangoye

I was 2 weeks into my final year 1^st semester when I found out I was 6 weeks pregnant. I’m one of those women who dread their periods because of the unbearable cramps accompanying it. I never look forward to my periods and that made me not realize that they had not come.

 

One morning when I was in class I started feeling cramps, the ones I get during my periods, this made me realize that my period was way overdue. After class I went straight to a pharmacy and bought two pregnancy test kits. I somehow knew I was pregnant. But I just had to confirm it. Both tests came out positive. The first thing I did was to take pictures of the tests and sent them to my friends. I don’t know how I felt but I was definitely not disappointed or hurt. The following week I went for an ultrasound scan to confirm the pregnancy tests kit results. The baby was a very small dot at that time but I inevitably fell in love with my dot.

 

Well the following weeks and the rest of the semester were the worst of the pregnancy so far. I was always tired, sleepy, dizzy, grumpy, and sad; the list is just too long. I did not want to eat anything except sour foods. I’ve always been a chocolate lover but since I got pregnant I can’t even stand the brownness of it. Well I haven’t experienced any nausea so far and I hope it stays that way.

 

By the way I’m now 28 weeks along!! Let’s meet again next week………..for questions and topic suggestions: femalehood@gmail.com

 

 

Sexual Harassment On Campus

by Tam’sanqa Mhepoh |@ndebeleshona | Inforgraphic

“a journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step…”

– Lao Tzu

Sexual Harassment has been in the news again over the month of  February. Citing a  baseline survey conducted by the Female Students Network of Zimbabwe published in 2016, reports say that about 74 percent of female students in the country’s tertiary institutions have been victims of this abuse. The culprits are male lecturers, male non academic staff and male students.

What is disturbing though is that since 1994, Zimbabwe’s centers of higher learning have been reported to be a hotbed of sexual harassment, yet there are still no policies to address the issue at most of the country’s Polytechnics, Teachers’ colleges and universities. Sadly, the victims do not recognize instances of abuse in some cases. Pointedly, that just says  citizens are ignorant of what exactly sexual harassment is.

This blog post will clarify what exactly constitutes sexual harassment. As the Chinese say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step. This post should then serve as a precursor to your own endeavor to alleviate sexual harassment in Zimbabwe’s colleges by increasing your awareness of this problem in the various forms and intensity in which it manifests.

 

PRESIDENT MUGABE INSPIRES YOUNG ACADEMICS

By Costa Nkomo

MORE than 250 National University of Science and Technology (NUST) students joined their Chancellor President Robert Mugabe in Matopo on the 25^thof February 2017 to commemorate President Mugabe’s 93^rd birthday.  It was the 31^st 21^st movement celebration session held in Matebeleland south province for the first time in history.

The 21st February Movement was established in 1986 to encourage Zimbabweans, the youths in particular, to emulate President Mugabe’s revolutionary ideas, charismatic leadership and selfless policies. http://www.pindula.co.zw/21st_February_Movement. President Mugabe was born on the 21^st of February 1924 and he turned 93 years on 21 February 2017.

The 21^st movement inspired young academics at NUST as they believe President Mugabe‘s legacy shapes student politics and the leadership spectrum. Nust Students Representative Council Organising Secretary, Billy Muchipisi said:

“The 21^st movement is not just a birthday celebration but it has become an extended platform that we fish out leadership skills and learn from our chancellor how to implement hybrid political model for the betterment of our country”

The 2017 21^st February movement ran under the theme:  “Honouring Our Icon, Unlocking Value in Youth.”

The 21^st movement has emerged as a networking platform that connects students from higher learning institutions all over the corners of the country. By doing so students get to mingle and discuss issues affecting them at tertiary levels and map the way forward.

“The 21^st movement promote a culture of peace and unity, a gospel that our chancellor has been preaching since independence. It cultivates and motivates our political inner persons to become politically conscious thereby resuscitating our political urgency as the custodians of President Mugabe’s legacy”, said Terrence Shoko, Nust Student Representative Council President.

From the students point of view,   much   celebration is  not  93 years of President Mugabe but it  is  his  pro-indigenous students  education policies  not limited to scholarships, Cadetship programs and  Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative. The STEM initiative came to life in 2016 after President Mugabe saw a relevant need to fund students pursuing sciences for the development of scientific human capital for Zimbabwe so as to match the latest industrial demands.

“My sister is in upper six this year and  the  STEM program is assisting her in a  big  way,  so  we are attending the 21^st movement as a  way of appreciating  a  great job  our  chancellor is  doing”, said Courage Ngwenya, student in the department of  estate and  property development.

The Nust SRC members wished that  all interested students should  have  joined their  chancellor in  Matopo,  but  however , due  to logistical  challenges others  chose to  follow proceedings  on the screen at home.

However, some students who spoke on condition of  anonymity feel that the  21^st movement  should  match  the  development of  their university given the fact that it has been  long with no single sign of progress towards finishing up  buildings such as  the library.  They said  if they  were  to be  given an opportunity  to  have  audience with their chancellor  they were going to ask for President’s   hand in the  development  of Nust  campus  infrastructure.

“The 21^st movement celebration does make a lot of sense to us as academics but we would be more happier if our campus buildings were to be completed, as it stands, the learning environment is not conducive. The incomplete library building is now turning to be a serious ghost settlement,” said Kenneth Moyo, student of journalism and media studies.

Some students lay blame  on  the campus management authorities highlighting  that since the birth of  the  institution the administration has  shown  little  interests  to complete campus  infrastructure .

Humanists and non-governmental organisations have criticised the 21st February movement due to its luxurious spending in the face of abject poverty in most of the country’s households. http://www.pindula.co.zw/21st_February_Movement.

Lately, non governmental organisations have been alleged to be working with opposition political camps to inject  the  regime change, an agenda that has failed to this date. http://www.thepatriot.co.zw/old_posts/civil-society-and-the-failure-of-the-regime-change-agenda.

New Curriculum

By Kenneth Moyo

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education effected the new curriculum in January 2017. The Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said that the new education syllabus is meant to modernize the education system to be in line with modern technologies and an assessment on the schools’ infrastructure is going to be conducted to see if they are ready for the new system.

The aims of the new curriculum include motivating learners to cherish their Zimbabwean identity and value their heritage, history and cultural tradition and preparing them for participatory citizenship.

The Minister also said that the new Curriculum framework will prepare graduates of the education system to have the following skills: critical thinking, problem solving abilities, leadership skills, good communication skills, team building and technological skills.
The Framework outlines the following learning areas for the three learning levels:

Infant School:
•Indigenous Language as medium of instruction
•Visual and Performing Arts (Expressive Arts)
•Physical Education
•Mass Displays
•Mathematics and Science
•Social Studies (Family and Heritage Studies)

Junior School
•Languages
•Mathematics
•Social Studies
•Science and Technology
•Agriculture
•Information and Communication Technology
•Visual and Performing Arts
•Family, Religion and Moral Education
•Physical Education, Sport and Mass Display

Forms 1 to 4
•Heritage Studies (embracing Zimbabwe Constitution)
•Mathematics
•Sciences: Physics, Chemistry, Biology option Gen Science
•Humanities including History, Geography, Religious Studies, Sociology, Economic History
•Literature in Indigenous Languages and in English
•Indigenous Languages and English Language
•Foreign Languages: French, Swahili, Chinese, Portuguese
•ICT: Programming Language and Packages
•Agriculture
•Commercials: Accounting, Commerce, Economics, Business and Enterprise Skills
•Practical subjects: Wood, Metal, Textile Technologies
•Physical Education, Sport and Mass Displays

It will also prepare learners for life and work in an indigenised economy and increasingly globalised and competitive environment and ensuring learners demonstrate desirable literacy and numeracy skill, including practical competences necessary for life.

Other aims of the new system are preparing and orienting learners for participation in voluntary service and leadership and fostering life-long learning in line with the emerging opportunities and challenges of the knowledge society.

The new curriculum is to be implemented in seven phases (2016-2022) and implementation commenced as of January this year.

Phase 1 is concerned with preparation and syllabus development. It focuses attention to areas such as development and printing of syllabuses, development of learning materials (text books, handbook and manuals), induction of all teachers into the new curriculum, syllabus interpretation for teachers and supervisors taking the following classes in 2017: ECD ‘A’, Grade 1, Grade 3, Form 1, Form 3 and Form 5.

Origins of Township Tourism

By Walter Ndlovu

In the mid-1990s, a form of tourism has been established in metropolises of several socalled “developing countries” or “emerging nations”. The concept became popular in Brazil, India and South Africa where they are packaged as authentic, interactive and educational in nature. The essential part of this tourism is a visit to the most disadvantaged parts of these cities. It is mainly organised in form of guided tours through those areas, often called “slums”.. As defined by Spenceley community tourism is “tourism which is owned and/or managed by communities with the aim of generating wider community benefit”. The main aim of community tourism should be to improve the residents’ quality of life by maximizing local economic benefits, protecting the natural and built heritage and providing a high quality of experiences for the visitors. It also aims at giving visitors personal contact with the physical and human environment of the countryside and allow them to participate in the activities, traditions and lifestyles of the local people.

Today a lot of the tours are operated and marketed by professional companies. But a large number of informal businesses also exist. Slum tours are offered on a relatively large scale in the South African cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town, the Indian metropolises Calcutta, Mumbai and Delhi as well as Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, to name the most important places. Target group of these tours are primarily international tourists. The number of slum tourists is constantly increasing: It is estimated that 40,000 visit Rio de Janeiro each year, while in Cape Town the figure is even assumed to be around 300,000. Guided tours into the slums are slowly becoming a standard in the city tourism of the “developing countries” or “emerging nations”. The terms used to describe this phenomenon are very disparate. In academic articles, some authors call them “social tours” or “reality tours”, because a number of these tours are explicitly presented by their operators as being “authentic” and as possessing strong interactive features. They promise the tourists experiences “off the beaten path”. Other authors tag these tours as a form of “cultural tourism” or “ethnic tourism” and often emphasize their educational aspect. Here, the possibility of a cultural exchange is highlighted. On the other hand, terms like “poverty tourism” and “poorism” express the morally dubious socio-voyeuristic aspects. The term “slumming” is also used in the context of critical tourism research. Especially reports in the media often criticize the valorization and marketing of marginal settlements, slums, favelas or townships as tourist attracttions.

In Zimbabwe, recent studies, have shown that despite the country’s reliance on natural and heritage resources, the new breed of tourists wants to have a more intimate relationship with the communities in the countries they visit.

Its no longer a thrill of big five, but rather ‘to meet real people, witness how they live and experience their current state of development and cultural heritage. Culture based tourism such as township tours are better alternative to the traditional nature-based tourism because it has been found to be more sustainable, it cannot be substituted and is participatory particularly for the communities being visited. Study has revealed that tourists are searching for unique experiences that are personalised and offer high quality service delivery with local residents also benefiting. Township tourism is recognised as a key driver of the economy in Zimbabwe and has been targeted as strategic in the country’s drive for economic growth and development.

Zimbabwe’s New Education Curriculum At A Glance

by Kenneth Moyo| 

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education effected the new curriculum in January 2017. The Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said that the new education syllabus is meant to modernize the education system to be in line with modern technologies and an assessment on the schools’ infrastructure is going to be conducted to see if they are ready for the new system.

The aims of the new curriculum include motivating learners to cherish their Zimbabwean identity and value their heritage, history and cultural tradition and preparing them for participatory citizenship.

The Minister also said that the new Curriculum framework will prepare graduates of the education system to have the following skills: critical thinking, problem solving abilities, leadership skills, good communication skills, team building and technological skills.
The Framework outlines the following learning areas for the three learning levels:

Infant School:
•Indigenous Language as medium of instruction
•Visual and Performing Arts (Expressive Arts)
•Physical Education
•Mass Displays
•Mathematics and Science
•Social Studies (Family and Heritage Studies)

Junior School
•Languages
•Mathematics
•Social Studies
•Science and Technology
•Agriculture
•Information and Communication Technology
•Visual and Performing Arts
•Family, Religion and Moral Education
•Physical Education, Sport and Mass Display

Forms 1 to 4
•Heritage Studies (embracing Zimbabwe Constitution)
•Mathematics
•Sciences: Physics, Chemistry, Biology option Gen Science
•Humanities including History, Geography, Religious Studies, Sociology, Economic History
•Literature in Indigenous Languages and in English
•Indigenous Languages and English Language
•Foreign Languages: French, Swahili, Chinese, Portuguese
•ICT: Programming Language and Packages
•Agriculture
•Commercials: Accounting, Commerce, Economics, Business and Enterprise Skills
•Practical subjects: Wood, Metal, Textile Technologies
•Physical Education, Sport and Mass Displays

The new curriculum will also prepare learners for life and work in an indigenised economy and increasingly globalised and competitive environment and ensuring learners demonstrate desirable literacy and numeracy skill, including practical competences necessary for life.

Other aims of the new system are preparing and orienting learners for participation in voluntary service and leadership and fostering life-long learning in line with the emerging opportunities and challenges of the knowledge society.

The new curriculum is to be implemented in seven phases (2016-2022) and implementation commenced as of January this year.

Phase 1 is concerned with preparation and syllabus development said Mr Bango, Mabhukudwana primary headmaster. “It focuses attention to areas such as development and printing of syllabuses, development of learning materials (text books, handbook and manuals), induction of all teachers into the new curriculum, syllabus interpretation for teachers and supervisors taking the following classes in 2017: ECD ‘A’, Grade 1, Grade 3, Form 1, Form 3 and Form 5.”

However, Gogo Moyo says the new curriculum has a lot of demands. Grade ECD is required to have books meant for form four. “I have to buy six to seven counter-books for grade ECD,” said Gogo maMoyo.

Honorable P. Masuku, Matabeleland Member of parliament said, they have received complaints from parents on the new curriculum. “The new curriculum was introduced when the economy of our country is in bad shape, said MP Masuku. “And the introduction of ECD A and B is problematic because there is no infrastructure for those grades.

Moreover, MP Masuku said the teachers had not been orientated or educated about the new curriculum. As the students are learning the teachers are also learning.

Origins of Student Politics

By Costa Nkomo

Higher learning institutions are unique intellectual houses of thought that have undisputedly become a breeding ground for human right activists who have become a headache to the contemporary world of politics. Student politics  in Zimbabwe started at the  then University of  Rhodesia  as the University of Zimbabwe was known before it was renamed in 1980 and it echoed unimaginable  extensive African political movements in the Southern part of the continent.  

On the eve of the Liberation struggle students were romped into the revolutionary movement with little or no space of disobedience. Some writers have noted that students at the University of Rhodesia failed to develop a clear political strategy that linked the rural struggle to an urban political mobilization, in the townships, factories and at the university. This alone paralysed the student union and consequently playing a passive role in the liberation struggle.

However, a few students decamped from the university into exile and joined the guerrilla struggle.

The independence dawn ushered in a new political landscape as university students emerged as the most formidable stewards of the interests of the ruling regime. This symbiotic relationship was short lived because of different political and economic reasons.  Among the cause to the disruption of this relationship as contained in the history of the country, was the genocide era that subjected residents in Matebeleland and some parts of Midlands to inhuman atrocities by the North Korean trained army known as the Fifth Brigade.  Since then, Matebeleland region has never been  a  darling  to the  ruling government  as evidenced by the  failure of  the  ruling government  to  win elections particularly in Bulawayo where  Zanu PF is  yet to taste a  win  since 1980.

 Fast forward to the 1990s, higher learning institution student politics bred out unarguable a group of outstanding politicians but not limited to Nelson Chamisa, Raymond Majongwe, Tendai Biti, Munyaradzi Musekiwa, Charlton Hwende et al who became the prominent figures of the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change right away from its birth in 1999.  These figures are kept in the political history books for their arousing spirit particularly a figure like Chamisa who became a legislator at the age of 25. 

Unlike those students who faced the ruthlessness of Ian Smith’s  government, the aforementioned personalities were subjected to unfriendly political environment in an independent Zimbabwe. In short ,  it has been alleged  that they sought  to install  a  regime change using a Western political template which antagonised President Robert Mugabe’s  legacy.

Apart from Tendai Biti et al, student politics has lost relevance to the political landscape in Zimbabwe. In the last  decade, in memory of student  political figures like Lovemore Chinoputsa, Clever Bere  et al have  all  gone  hiding  into a political abyss  or they  have  thrown  themselves into  political dustbins. Thus, Chamisa  and company remain  role models  for  student leaders who  seem to go against  the  ruling government for  best  reasons  known to  themselves.

Lately, student leaders like Shadowlite Ndou,  Rodwell Nyika et al have been giving hope to the student’s community. However, the political disease that infected Bere et al seems to have grabbed them at once. Their  quick  disappearance from  political scene raise eyebrows  whether  were they  seriously  targeting  to  liberating the  academic as they  purported on  the  eve of their way  to  office.  Of all these comrades, only Nyika remains on the scene although his prowess is yet to be tested.  Despite his anti-government antics , the young academic  has founded  Zimbabwe Coalition for Unemployed Graduates (ZCUG) a movement that at  one point became vocal in  asking  the ruling  government to  honour its  promises made in the  run  up  to  the  harmonised 2013 national  elections  where the  opposition parties lost  to President  Mugabe dismally.

Where are the post-independence student leaders to remind the present student leadership that representing students is not about self enriching, hatred and immorality.? These student leaders of today  should strongly be urged to  learn from student activism  that lived before and  soon  after  independence. Student activism that   poses as a political party  at university or any other higher learning  institutions is not only irrelevant but its an evidence of  how poisonous the present generation is at leadership positions.

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

Online TV killing what used to be a dream?

By Andile Khumalo

So for all 90s kids I know that what I am about to say, kinda sorta sounds crazy, but let’s face it DSTV is in no longer the in thing, there are new babies in town cuter and one might even say better. Before you kill me you need to hear me out.

First lets go down memory lane to the turn of the millennium, Y2K as they called it the dream was to own a DSTV but it was one of those dreams that we knew was sorta possibly never gonna happen because whose mother was going to spend money on TV nonetheless it was the dream. Not that we were complaining, ZBC wasn’t that shabby, Amakorokoza, Studio 263, Estate Blues, Urban Grooves we were pretty locked in and life was good. Then they cut wrestling, I had to watch from my neighbors. the dream grew and even my own mother wanted it as ZBC took a dive. That’s how the love for DSTV came to be for us 90s babies, it was the heaven of TV we dreamed about and we finally got it end of the 00s and today it’s still one the most treasured.

So I understand how crazy I sound saying DSTV is over but it has to be said because Netflix, Showmax and Zim’s very own Kwese are here to end DSTV. So here are the facts the new babies are cheaper 75 DSTV premium compared to Netflix and Kwese’s $10 and $25. Watchable on the phone everywhere and anywhere compared to DSTV where you need an explorer for that which means an extra $200, call me crazy but numbers don’t lie and I have the receipts for it.

Our childhood dream is no longer the dream, the TV wars have gone rogue but at least it’s in our favour. This internet technology is the dream now and we cannot deny it is the future.

Until the next one, let’s moan the death of our childhood dream together on the comments below.

5 MINUTE FULL BODY WORKOUT

Looking for a simple, quick workout that you can whip through into your busy schedule? Well, how about a five-minute workout! This workout will help you burn calories and keep fit in the shortest amount of time.

Even during a pandemic we need to stay fit and hydrated.

Bulawayo citizen’s Insights on the Shortage of Roller Meal

By Mightyman Nsingo

The Government is set to increase the price of roller meal at a time when there is serious shortage of the product. This comes after they reviewed the price from ZWL$ 50 to 70 last month.

We went out to around the city to hear their thoughts on the issue. The citizens expressed concerns on this issue, labeling corruption to be at the center. They noted that no matter the price increase shortages of the product on the shop will continue.

Find out more on this issue on:

GMB suspends Bulawayo managers

Subsidised roller meal price to go up

Govt owes us $120m in roller meal subsidy: Millers

Mealie meal shortages persist

NUST JMS Department lends support to Matopo Mission’s proposed Radio project