The ManicaPost
Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has given thumps up to operations of the Scouts Movement in helping mould innovative, complete and responsible youngsters in and outside the school environment.
This came to light in a communiqué between the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education offices and the Manicaland Scouts Association.
“The Provincial Education Director appreciated the role your organisation endeavours to pursue in schools. We have no objections in your request to operate as one of the clubs in schools and use weekends for outdoor activities such as camping,” reads part of a recent letter signed by the PED addressed to the Manicaland Scouts Association.
Speaking at a recent scouts meeting held in Mutare, the Scouts Commissioner for Manicaland Mr Ernest Mungwari emphasised the need for leaders to volunteer honestly.
Mr Mungwari expressed gratification at the increasing number of school teachers joining the scouting movement.
“We are grateful to the increasing numbers of school teachers who are seeing the need to play their role in scouting promotion. This gives us the impetus to continue facilitating more participation of educationists. This development could not have come at a better time given the recent endorsement of our activities by the Provincial Education Directorate. We are indeed grateful to the education sector for appreciating our efforts in building a better society.
“Volunteering is a key component of scouting. It entails committing oneself to work for children, helping them to develop into responsible youths who are useful to themselves and others. You must know that when you are volunteering you are expected to use your own resources including financial without expecting to get refunds,” he said.
Recently the Manicaland Scouts Commissioner gathered a group of leaders in line with the province’s strategy to build scouting in the province. Mr Mungwari emphasised the need to work closely with the school authorities to make sure that scouting does not disrupt the learning process but complement it.
To that effect, he stressed the need for leaders to seek the organisation’s express authority before opening a scouts group.
“You cannot go on and appoint yourself a leader of a group without consulting with the leadership at provincial level. We are dealing with children hence we need people we can with minors. There are many cases of children abuse in the country at the moment and we as scouts must not fall in similar situation and for the reason we will leave no stone unturned in cleaning this organisation of bad apples. In fact, scouting gives children the skills they need to defend themselves when exposed to situations they may be abused and for this to happen you need the right people,” he said.
