Free Education needs a plan
EDUCATION secretary Dr Musawe Sinebare has copped some criticism levelled at his department for a perceived slowness in ensuring subsidies reach the schools in time to make a difference for the 2013 school year. Some of the blame maybe warranted but Dr Sinebare is by no means entirely culpable here – in fact he could be a scapegoat in this affair. Prime Minister Peter O’Neill earlier in the month was scathing in his appraisal of the country’s public service machinery and its sloth in carrying out National Executive Council-approved policies and directives. He went as far as describing their efforts as “lazy” and “incompetent”. The free education policy was one of the cornerstones of O’Neill’s People National Congress campaign. He had made the undertaking months before the national election and was intent on following through with his promise. Parents who rely on the public school system to educate their children are anticipating an easier time next year. The government, as such, is det