Online Reporter
Mkhululi Ncube, Sunday News Reporter
BULAWAYO has the least number of schools in the country totalling 483 for both primary and secondary education compared to other provinces, a 2024 Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Annual Statistical Report has revealed.
The report covers a number of issues related to the country’s education sector including learner enrolment, teaching staff numbers, facilities, formal education, access to education, demand for education and internal efficiencies.
The three provinces with the least number of schools are Bulawayo at 483 schools, Matabeleland South at 757 while Matabeleland North had 876 in 2024.
“The majority of schools (15,26 percent) are in Manicaland, followed by the Midlands (12,36 percent). On the other hand, Bulawayo has the least number of schools (4,25 percent). Manicaland Province has the highest percentages of both primary schools and secondary schools, 15,71 percent and 14.18 percent, respectively,” reads the report.
“Midlands has the second-highest percentage of primary schools (12,52 percent), while Mashonaland West has the second-highest percentage of secondary schools (13,43 percent). In contrast, Bulawayo has the lowest percentages of both primary schools and secondary schools at 4,65 percent and 3,28 percent, respectively.”
According to the report, Zimbabwe has seen an increase in the number of schools since 2020 with 11 371 learning centres recorded in 2024.
“The number of primary and secondary schools, including schools with ECD, has progressively increased. The number of schools with ECD increased from 6 761 in 2020 to 7 969 in 2024.
“In the same way, the number of primary schools increased from 6 798 in 2020 to 8 014 in 2024, while secondary schools increased from 2 980 in 2020 to 3 357 in 2024,” reads the report.
Fundamentally, the report says the number of schools in a province is directly proportional to the province’s school-age population (4-18 years).
Bulawayo has the lowest school-age population of 3,69 percent followed by Matabeleland South at 5,08 percent and Matabeleland North at 5,79 percent.
“The proportion of schools ranges from 15,26 percent in Manicaland to 4,25 percent in Bulawayo, whilst the proportion of the school-age population ranges from 14,68 percent in Manicaland to 3,69 percent in Bulawayo,” reads the report.
“Noticeably, the number of schools in a province is directly proportional to the province’s school-age population,” says the report.
Of the 373 primary schools in 2024 in Bulawayo, 190 were providing Early Childhood Development (ECD) only, 24 schools taking ECD A to GradeTwo and 151 schools covering ECD to Grade Seven.
Six primary schools did not have ECD, two have Grade Three to Seven only while 26 schools provided Ordinary Level education only with 84 schools providing Advanced Level education.
“The proportion of schools with ECD only is highest (26,30 percent) in Manicaland, followed by Bulawayo (19,37 percent),” reads the report.
Matabeleland South has the lowest proportion of schools with ECD only, at 1,83 percent while for Grade One to Grade Seven schools, the highest proportion is in Harare (43,59 percent), while Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South have none (0 percent).
The report further notes that Harare accounts for the highest proportion (27,02 percent) of ECD A-Grade Two, while Matabeleland South has the least (2,27 percent).
For ECD-Grade Seven schools, the highest proportion is in Manicaland (14,09 percent), with Bulawayo having the least (2,29 percent).
The majority (72,91 percent) of the primary schools are registered, while 14.80 percent are unregistered. Satellite primary schools constitute 12,29 percent. Likewise, the majority (71,85 percent) of secondary schools are registered and 5,06 percent are unregistered. Satellite secondary schools constitute 23,09 percent.
The report has emphasised the importance of unpacking registered schools to quantify satellite schools that are now registered to help report on the progress toward the attainment of increased number of satellite schools registered.
Recently, the ministry announced that Bulawayo Province will benefit from the construction of four new schools in Cowdray Park as the Government seeks to improve access to education for all learners in new suburbs and resettlement areas across the country. – @themkhust
