President hails unity

By Takunda Maodza (23/02/10)

PRESIDENT Mugabe has called for unity across all sectors of society as the staff in his office yesterday laun-ched an e-learning initiative to complement the Presidential Computerisa-tion Programme.

The computerisation programme saw the President donate 10 computers per school in nearly all the secondary schools throughout the country.

Speaking at Zimbabwe House soon after receiving gifts from his staff to mark his 86th birthday, President Mugabe emphasised the importance of e-learning for national development.

"I am interested in it to ensure that it is a success," he said as he urged the nation to replicate the love and unity demonstrated by his personnel over the years.

"We have always remained toge-ther. We have always seen things in the same way.

"One would want to see this achievement in the past become a tradition not just in our office but in other offices we have in Government.

"The unity of the people, oneness of the people, their complete alignment is one of the things we have been capable of achieving.

"We live lives for others and others live lives for us. That is how society is meant to be; how each and every community should be.

"That is the phenomenon of a united people," President Mugabe said.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said the President’s staff had raised money to launch the e-learning programme to complement the President’s computerisation drive.

"Following your telescopic foresight in initiating a knowledge-driven economy by distributing computers to disadvantaged secondary schools in all the 10 provinces of our country, your officers have been inspired to immortalise your legacy in this area by putting together seed money to launch the President’s e-Learning Programme."

The e-learning programme will initially be launched at 10 secondary schools in the country’s 10 provinces.

The programme will facilitate the learning of Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry from forms one up to four.

"The programme, which will ride on software and technology from the Cyber School of Technology Solutions of India, will also provide virtual laboratories in remote areas with limited facilities," Dr Sibanda said.

After the launch, the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture will superintend implementation beginning with those schools that benefited under the Presidential Computerisa-tion Programme.

Other relevant ministries, parastatals, the private sector and well-wishers have been invited to support the programme.

"We are confident that this will further amplify the native ingenuity and competitive prowess of our people in the global arena.

"We also hope that this humble initiative will provide an accelerative thrust to the overall development of ICTs in all sectors of our economy," Dr Sibanda said.

The President’s staff will roll out the programme with the assistance of Cardinal Technology, a local partner of Cyber School of Technology Solutions of India.

The President was presented with a sculpture of a flying fish eagle, which is the national bird that symbolises strength, courage and power.

In response, President Mugabe said: "We should be a flying nation, a flying people aspiring to go high."

Dr Sibanda said they were honoured to serve under President Mugabe’s robust leadership.

"We feel greatly privileged to be serving under a visionary leader of exceptional fortitude, whose unwavering determination in defence of our heritage and national sovereignty have become a hallmark of a selfless service to our great nation," he said.

Present at the ceremony were Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo; and ministers Webster Shamu, Didymus Mutasa, Sydney Sekeramayi and Sylvester Nguni, among other senior Government officials.