Mathema, who has been reportedly unwell for weeks and
accused of failing to adequately address the challenges plaguing the education
sector, was demoted to the inglamorous Minister without Portfolio in the Office
of the President and Cabinet.
The 74-year-old was recently reported to have been battling
COVID-19 and was airlifted to Harare from United Bulawayo Hospitals.
In his place, Mnangagwa appointed Ndlovu, a proportional
representation Member of Parliament, who is set to come face-to-face with the
chaos in schools.
“In terms of section 104(1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution,
His Excellency the President Dr ED Mnangagwa has made the following ministerial
appointments,” the letter from Chief Secretary in the Office of the President
and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda read in part.
Mathema is not in good books with the teachers’ unions, who
described him as arrogant, especially after threatening to fire striking
teachers.
He claimed the country had enough teachers to man
classrooms even if more educators failed to turn up for the second phase of
schools reopening.
Schools are currently battling the ravaging COVID-19
pandemic amid complaints by teachers that government has failed to provide
adequate personal protective equipment to combat the spread of the disease.
Teachers have also declared incapacitation and are
demanding a review of their salaries for them to return to full-scale teaching.
Newsday
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