Staff Reporter

President Mnangagwa yesterday appointed Dr Evelyn Ndlovu to be the new Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, taking over from Cde Cain Mathema who was re-assigned to be the Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

Dr Ndlovu who is Bulilima proportional representation legislator, previously worked as Minister of State in Vice President Chiwenga’s office.

In a statement yesterday, the Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda said the appointments were made in terms of Section 104 (1) of the Constitution, Amendment number 20 of 2013.

“In terms of Section 104 (1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment No. 20 of 2013, His Excellency the President, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has made the following Ministerial appointments:

“Hon. Evelyn Ndlovu as Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  Cain G. Mathema as Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the President and Cabinet. The appointments are with effect from 30 September 2021,” said Dr Sibanda.

Meanwhile, operations in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education were boosted last Monday when the Ministry received 13 off road vehicles and 34 motorbikes from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) and the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED).

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Tumisang Thabela, said the vehicles would bolster the Ministry’s capacity to monitor and inspect schools in 34 districts countrywide. She added that the vehicles would be deployed to 13 Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education districts, while the motorcycles would be deployed to 34 districts in order to support various education programmes.

The recipient districts for the 13 off road vehicles were Chipinge, Mbire, Mudzi, Mwenezi, Binga, Bubi, Beitbridge, Gokwe North, Chirumanzu, Bulawayo Central, Lupane, Kariba and Mhondoro Ngezi.