adminThe Government and its development partners such as local authorities and non-governmental organisations spent millions of dollars constructing schools to ensure schools are within walking distance for most children.
It is mainly in new resettlement areas where children are still walking long distances to school. A lot of ground has been covered in establishing schools to service the different communities but not much has been done to improve infrastructure such as adequate classrooms and teachers houses among other such infrastructure.
Zimbabwe still has pole and dagga classrooms in areas such as Gokwe in the Midlands province, Mount Darwin and Muzarabani in Mashonaland Central province, Chipinge in Manicaland and Chikombedzi in Masvingo province. The shortage of classrooms and teachers’ houses is common in most rural areas and teachers are at times forced to conduct classes under trees. At some schools more than three families share a single house due to acute shortage of teacher accommodation. We have already alluded to the fact that schools are now within walking distance for most children so the thrust now should be on improving infrastructure.
We therefore want to commend Government for approving the $2,1 billion Five-Year Education Medium Term Plan which is meant to, among other issues, address the shortage of infrastructure at schools. The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr David Coltart, said Cabinet approved the education MTP on Tuesday. He said during the five years Government was expected to embark on a programme to rehabilitate as well as improve infrastructure at schools. This includes constructing additional buildings, providing furniture and improving health and sanitation facilities.
What has worsened the situation at schools is that during the past decade, most school authorities have not been able to carry out maintenance work at existing infrastructure due to the economic challenges facing the country. Minister Coltart said apart from improving infrastructure, Government was also expected to restore the professional status of teachers as well as revitalise the quality and relevance of learning by addressing the shortcomings of the school curriculum. The construction of additional teachers’ houses as well as rehabilitating the old ones will definitely help to improve the teachers’ conditions of service.
The Government, as rightly pointed out by Minister Coltart, does not have the capacity to fund the MTP alone. The private sector and the donor community should therefore complement Government efforts if this MTP is to be successfully implemented. Govern-ment and the donor community have already addressed the issue of shortage of textbooks at both primary and secondary schools and it is our fervent hope that the same spirit of co-operation will be extended to improving infrastructure at schools. The parents on their part can contribute through providing free labour and materials such as bricks.
The issue of improving infrastructure, which is critical in creating a conducive learning environment, cannot be over-emphasised. We want to urgeGovernment, the private sector and the donor community to move with speed to avail resources so that the MTP can be rolled out as soon as possible.
Online Reporter