Thread by @clczimbabwe

Big Saturday Read: The things we should have been taught at school.

‘’I do not know if these gaps still apply but certainly, there are four competencies that I would like to promote:

*critical thinking;
*constitutional literacy
*financial literacy and
*Entrepreneurship.

1. Whatever the government owns or owes is ultimately your responsibility.

It is not unusual to hear people saying “Ndezvehurumende” (It belongs to the government) or “Hazvisi zvemunhu” (It does not belong to an individual).

1.1 These statements indicate a disconnection between the government and the people. This largely emulates the colonial era where the relationship between the people and the government was adversarial and often hostile.

1.2 The disconnection is unhelpful because it affects the relationship between citizens and the government. That is, authority to govern derives from the people and therefore, the government is merely a custodian of national assets & is supposed to account to the citizens.

1.3 If an owner sees abuse of his assets, he will protect them. This is how people ought to relate to assets that are controlled by the government.

The best illustration of the relationship is through debt. Whenever the government is in debt, it is abasorbed by the taxpayers.

2. Public Procurement: Government is the biggest contractor.

It’s not abnormal that when you are growing up in this country, perceiving the the government to be remote and opaque. Despite the presence of the private sector, the government is still the biggest economic actor.

2.1 The private sector is a big beneficiary of contracts from the Gov. The public services that the Gov provides present big business opportunities.

The Gov doesn't have the capacity or expertise to produce all the goods & services, thus It outsources from private actors.

2.2 Those who are politically exposed know of these opportunities and how they’re exploited and have a great advantage over those who are ignorant.

The process of outsourcing is supposed to be transparent and accountable, usually carried out through the tendering process.

2.3 The government assesses bids and chooses the best, which is usually the most efficient & cost-effective.

A new law was adopted in 2017:
The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (No. 5 of 2017) Act [Chapter 22: 23],

2.4 The aim to fulfil S.315 of the Constitution which requires that public procurement is: “transparent, fair, honest, cost-effective and competitive”.

But few people are familiar with this law or even the process of submitting participating in tenders.

2.5 ''It would have been great to learn about public procurement. It would have opened our eyes to the vast opportunities available through public procurement. It would also have taught us to be more vigilant over public procurement.''

3. Becoming financially literate: understanding the stock market

One of the big gambling games takes place on the stock market, where people buy and sell shares expecting to make a profit. Sometimes the gamble pays off when you choose the right stock, but sometimes it does not.

3.1 Interestingly, while many people bet on sports events, fewer people participate in the stock market. There could be all sorts of reasons but if I can make a guess, it is that most people do not know much about it or think it’s a playground for the wealthy and sophisticated.

3.2 But if people knew better, they might make use of the stock market than leaving their money in bank accounts. When the Zimbabwean currency has faced trouble, those who know, have shifted their money to the stock market seeking safe refuge.

3.3 They bought shares in listed companies instead of leaving their money on the currency market.

But the rest of the people have no idea, and they suffer the consequences of ignorance.

4. Beneficiation is not just a big industry term

Beneficiation is the process of enhancing the economic value of products. One of the weaknesses of resource-rich countries in Africa is that they export raw materials and end up buying back the finished products at higher prices.

4.1 Beneficiation has broader appeal & application.
''I often think of my grandfather & neighbour who had a huge citrus orchard. When harvesting came, they simply took them to local markets. Never thought to produce orange juice which might have increased value of produce.''

4.2 The same could apply to similar products. With better packaging and marketing, they might even find markets beyond.
The message ought to be given to young people is that beneficiation is not about minerals only & could encompass products we make & consume everyday.

5. It is important to discover ignorance and think critically.

Admission of ignorance is an important step in critical thinking because it lays the foundation for seeking knowledge.If you think you already know, there is no incentive to seek knowledge and there is no discovery

5.1 It is also important because it means you must challenge received knowledge while also accepting that your knowledge is subject to challenge.

''During my time, teachers who encouraged us to challenge received knowledge in books, or what they told us were a rare breed.''

5.2 A critical thinker examines the credibility of what he or she is reading –
How reliable is the data?
Where did it come from?
How was it collected?
Is it verified? What is the agenda?
Have the author’s ideological or religious inclinations influenced his or her views?

5.3 If people used more critical thinking, there would be questioning what those in authority say. Its common for people to say“ Its in the papers”or“ appeared on the news” as authority on the issue.
They would ask difficult questions & the politicians would take them seriously.

6. Knowing the constitution is a critical part of strong citizenship

‘’I should have been introduced to the constitution early in life. It would have prepared me better as a citizen, appreciating the full scope of my rights and responsibilities.''

6.1''There is a slight improvement in that in the last two decades people are more conscious about constitutionalism than the older generations.
However, I'm also aware constitutional literacy remains limited, but I' m encouraged by the fact that there is an appetite to learn.''

6.2 An introduction to the constitution at the primary school level builds a solid foundation for strong citizenship.
You can't talk about voter registration and the right to vote when people are not fully equipped with knowledge about their roles and rights in society.

6.3 ''Therefore, we have committed ourselves at the Constitutional Law Centre and associated organizations to build constitutional literacy from an early age.''

@Wamagaisa @dzikamaibere @ZimRightsLIVE

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