J.Hyde
Apprentice
- Jul 31, 2020
- 212
With the presence of four nations in Harare, there was now a degree of stability that permitted The PEC the ability to begin crafting their own organisational bodies for the purpose of assisting their international counterparts. The three black members of The PEC, Rudo, and Bishops Abel and Robert, had spent their time interacting with the community, allaying their concerns as best as they could. However, they were also discretely screening the people they spoke to.
Education under Rhodesia had been, for much of its history, an exercise in racial control. Much of the public investment in education was given to the minority white population, leaving the majority black populace with the bare basics that had been carefully censored and structured to keep them subservient to the white ruling class. This policy had continued all the way to the end of Rhodesia in 1980, at its height, 90% of educational spending was used on a white population that made up approximately 6% of the population. In the 1970s, only 43.5% of black children attended primary/elementary school, while only 3.9% of these children would go on to be enrolled in secondary/high school.
This had changed under Mugabe, who quickly implemented reforms to institute free and universal education for every child at primary and secondary level. Enshrined as a basic human right in the Zimbabwean constitution, the changes made were declared by some to be an "educational miracle" due to almost all people receiving primary level education, and over half of the population had received secondary level teaching. While the changes had brought much needed equality to the realms of education, there was still much to do. Zimbabweans still had to pay tuition fees for basic schooling, even if they were very small. Women were more likely to drop out of high school due to the costs of enrolling, early marriage, or gender-based violence perpetrated against them. Educational material, such as textbooks, had been censored to remove the presence of females in history, reinforcing the notion that they were destined to be subservient to men.
All of this meant that the average Zimbabwean was very likely to be literate, just below 50% likely to have secondary level education, but incredibly unlikely to have education at a university level. It was this illusive creature, a Zimbabwean with a degree, that the PEC were on the hunt for.
"I thank you three for taking the time to hear me, and the bishops, out," Rudo said to the three men that had been discovered. They were former middle-class citizens, the collapse of the country had left them as destitute as the lower classes. So, the offer of a potential job that had need of their higher educational level was a gift none of them could refuse to investigate.
"You already know that we are the provisional governing body of Zimbabwe. Naturally, we use the term 'governing' in the broadest possible sense." Bishop Abel remarked, causing his catholic counterpart to chuckle in amusement. "We were looking for people who have proven their intellectual capabilities, so that we could ask for their assistance in rebuilding Zimbabwe. You possess degrees in law, accounting, and economics & management. These are skills that we believe would be of great use to the rebuilding effort."
"Oh? What do you have in mind?" One of the candidates enquired.
"We are in need of management level officials to help create a bureaucratic body for various important issues. The three categories that are the most pressing at the moment are that of law enforcement, financial affairs, and administrative affairs. You are prime candidates for such roles."
"I assume we're going to be paid?"
"Correct. We have been graciously provided half a billion dollars by the Portuguese government for the purpose of rebuilding the country. We are more than capable of paying all three of you."
The revelation that The PEC was in possession of vast sums of money left the three candidates speechless. They hadn't expected The PEC to have yielded such a massive amount of investment so quickly.
"I take it from the gaping mouths that all three of you accept?" Rudo deduced, before laughing out loud at the goldfish impressions they were making.
"Y-Yes, I guess... I guess I am accepting." One candidate said, while the others nodded in agreement.
"Glad to hear it! Welcome aboard, gentlemen!"
(Lobengula Gwenzi, Mpilo Nyawose, and Tapiwa Mhlanga.
The Chiefs of Legal, Financial, and Administrative Affairs respectively.)
Suddenly, phone rang, causing everyone to flinch at surprise. Rudo was the first to leap into action and answer it.
"Hello?" He said. "Is that you, Trevor? You're still in Holland? I see, I see. I hope things go well in The Global Assembly. Were you able to speak to any of your former colleagues, see if they were willing to help? You were? Did any of them agree? They did? That's fantastic! I'll inform the others. Best of luck. Goodbye!"
Rudo put the receiver back in its cradle.
"Trevor was able to spend some time making calls to some refugees he knows, while on his way to The Hague. They've agreed to return to Zimbabwe to help us rebuild."
"What kind of friends?" Bishop Robert asked warily, causing Rudo to raise an eyebrow.
"White Rhodesian friends." Rudo answered.
Education under Rhodesia had been, for much of its history, an exercise in racial control. Much of the public investment in education was given to the minority white population, leaving the majority black populace with the bare basics that had been carefully censored and structured to keep them subservient to the white ruling class. This policy had continued all the way to the end of Rhodesia in 1980, at its height, 90% of educational spending was used on a white population that made up approximately 6% of the population. In the 1970s, only 43.5% of black children attended primary/elementary school, while only 3.9% of these children would go on to be enrolled in secondary/high school.
This had changed under Mugabe, who quickly implemented reforms to institute free and universal education for every child at primary and secondary level. Enshrined as a basic human right in the Zimbabwean constitution, the changes made were declared by some to be an "educational miracle" due to almost all people receiving primary level education, and over half of the population had received secondary level teaching. While the changes had brought much needed equality to the realms of education, there was still much to do. Zimbabweans still had to pay tuition fees for basic schooling, even if they were very small. Women were more likely to drop out of high school due to the costs of enrolling, early marriage, or gender-based violence perpetrated against them. Educational material, such as textbooks, had been censored to remove the presence of females in history, reinforcing the notion that they were destined to be subservient to men.
All of this meant that the average Zimbabwean was very likely to be literate, just below 50% likely to have secondary level education, but incredibly unlikely to have education at a university level. It was this illusive creature, a Zimbabwean with a degree, that the PEC were on the hunt for.
"I thank you three for taking the time to hear me, and the bishops, out," Rudo said to the three men that had been discovered. They were former middle-class citizens, the collapse of the country had left them as destitute as the lower classes. So, the offer of a potential job that had need of their higher educational level was a gift none of them could refuse to investigate.
"You already know that we are the provisional governing body of Zimbabwe. Naturally, we use the term 'governing' in the broadest possible sense." Bishop Abel remarked, causing his catholic counterpart to chuckle in amusement. "We were looking for people who have proven their intellectual capabilities, so that we could ask for their assistance in rebuilding Zimbabwe. You possess degrees in law, accounting, and economics & management. These are skills that we believe would be of great use to the rebuilding effort."
"Oh? What do you have in mind?" One of the candidates enquired.
"We are in need of management level officials to help create a bureaucratic body for various important issues. The three categories that are the most pressing at the moment are that of law enforcement, financial affairs, and administrative affairs. You are prime candidates for such roles."
"I assume we're going to be paid?"
"Correct. We have been graciously provided half a billion dollars by the Portuguese government for the purpose of rebuilding the country. We are more than capable of paying all three of you."
The revelation that The PEC was in possession of vast sums of money left the three candidates speechless. They hadn't expected The PEC to have yielded such a massive amount of investment so quickly.
"I take it from the gaping mouths that all three of you accept?" Rudo deduced, before laughing out loud at the goldfish impressions they were making.
"Y-Yes, I guess... I guess I am accepting." One candidate said, while the others nodded in agreement.
"Glad to hear it! Welcome aboard, gentlemen!"
(Lobengula Gwenzi, Mpilo Nyawose, and Tapiwa Mhlanga.
The Chiefs of Legal, Financial, and Administrative Affairs respectively.)
Suddenly, phone rang, causing everyone to flinch at surprise. Rudo was the first to leap into action and answer it.
"Hello?" He said. "Is that you, Trevor? You're still in Holland? I see, I see. I hope things go well in The Global Assembly. Were you able to speak to any of your former colleagues, see if they were willing to help? You were? Did any of them agree? They did? That's fantastic! I'll inform the others. Best of luck. Goodbye!"
Rudo put the receiver back in its cradle.
"Trevor was able to spend some time making calls to some refugees he knows, while on his way to The Hague. They've agreed to return to Zimbabwe to help us rebuild."
"What kind of friends?" Bishop Robert asked warily, causing Rudo to raise an eyebrow.
"White Rhodesian friends." Rudo answered.
Last edited:
