Prominent Zimbabwean journalist, Garikai Mazara has waded into the debate regarding the ZIFA chairmanship.
Writing on Facebook, Magara said:
Is it a colonial hangover or it is a necessity? That you need to have five O Levels, plus English and Mathematics, for you to be considered to be of stable mental health.
The assumption being that, if you don’t possess these basic qualifications, you cannot process thought carefully and properly! Is that so?
It is not just five O Levels, some occupations demand at least a Bachelor’s, some a Master’s. I am not sure if these educational requirements have any sound logical defence.
I don’t have any brief for anyone, Walter Magaya or Peter Ndlovu, but I think shutting out people on the basis of educational background is a bit awkward. I know several people who never made it to high school, dyslexia or else, but who went on to change other people’s lives.
I am not sure if Ben Mucheche, one of the most prominent indigenous businesspeople, had any high school education. Or Machipisa, a man whose influence was so great they had to name a whole shopping centre after him. Or Chikwanha.
My point is, there are a variety of reasons why people don’t get to write or finish O Level and those reasons should not be a basis to deny them opportunities in life.
We should not judge books by their covers, let us learn to read them.
