Online Reporter
Innocent Mujeri
THE Government’s move to decentralise the registration of primary and secondary schools is a significant and timely intervention that promises to restore order, strengthen accountability, and enhance quality in Zimbabwe’s education sector. The announcement by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Torerayi Moyo, comes at a moment when the nation is grappling with a critical shortage of schools and a growing number of illegal institutions. It is a reform that responds to pressing realities on the ground while laying the foundation for a more organised and learner-centred system.
Zimbabwe has long prided itself on high literacy levels and a strong tradition of valuing education. Yet, beneath this reputation lies a system increasingly stretched by surging demand and limited infrastructure. With a national deficit estimated at between 1 900 and 2 000 schools, the pressures on families — particularly those in rural areas — are tangible and often painful.
Thousands of children walk long distances every morning simply to access learning, and many others find themselves in congested classrooms, facilities lacking essential resources, or makeshift structures erected out of necessity rather than planning. In such an environment, the emergence of private schools is not only understandable but predictable.
Private players have stepped in to fill the gap where the State cannot build fast enough. Their contributions have been invaluable in expanding access, introducing modern facilities, and offering parents alternatives. However, the rapid growth of the private sector has also exposed regulatory weaknesses.
Some operators, driven more by profit than by quality, have opened doors without following legal requirements or meeting national standards. As a result, a parallel system of illegal schools has taken root — institutions that may offer convenience but often do so at the expense of learner welfare and academic integrity.
Minister Moyo’s remarks in the Senate reflect a balanced recognition of this reality. Government acknowledges the necessity of private schools in addressing the national deficit, but it also insists that their existence must not compromise quality or safety.
Education is far too important a national asset to be left vulnerable to unregulated activity. By decentralising school registration to provincial offices, the Government is attempting to close regulatory gaps and eliminate bureaucratic barriers that have long frustrated genuine school developers and tempted others into cutting corners.
This decentralisation process represents more than an administrative shift. It brings decision-making closer to communities and allows authorities who understand local contexts to act with greater speed and precision.
For decades, the centralised registration system in Harare created bottlenecks that slowed down approvals, delayed inspections, and left applicants waiting for months. In many cases, operators would open schools prematurely, hoping to “regularise” later — a practice that has contributed significantly to the rise of illegal institutions.
Provincial offices, once empowered, can provide quicker assessments, conduct timely site visits, and maintain consistent oversight. They are better placed to understand population pressures, emerging settlements, infrastructural needs, and community demands.
Decentralisation therefore strengthens responsiveness, enhances compliance, and ensures that standards are upheld not on paper but in practice.
This reform is also a powerful signal of Government’s commitment to protecting learners. The setting of December 31 as the deadline for all unregistered schools to regularise or shut down demonstrates firmness without hostility. It is a deadline driven by the desire to shield children from unsafe or substandard learning environments.
Many parents, especially in rural and peri-urban areas, enrol their children in illegal schools out of desperation rather than choice. These parents often do not know the risks, or they feel they have no alternatives.
The responsibility, therefore, lies with the State to ensure that every school that accepts learners has qualified teachers, adequate classrooms, proper sanitation, and the capacity to deliver curriculum content effectively. By enforcing registration and compliance, the Government is not shutting doors — it is ensuring that every door that remains open leads to quality.
This move, if implemented well, will significantly enhance the overall quality and accountability of the education sector. Registration is not a bureaucratic formality; it is the backbone of quality assurance. It ensures that schools are not only structurally sound, but pedagogically ready to deliver meaningful learning. It promotes transparency, safety, and equity.
Most importantly, it affirms the principle that every child, regardless of geography or social class, deserves a proper education.
The success of decentralisation will, of course, depend on how efficiently provincial offices are capacitated. These offices must be equipped with knowledgeable personnel, adequate resources, and the authority to enforce standards.
They must approach the process not as gatekeepers but as partners in development — guiding applicants, monitoring progress, and ensuring that compliance is achieved without unnecessary hindrances. If provincial systems are empowered and strengthened, decentralisation will not only curb illegal schools but will also facilitate the faster establishment of compliant private schools that can meaningfully supplement public efforts.
At the same time, private players must embrace the responsibility that comes with operating schools. Their role is indispensable, but it must be anchored in integrity, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to the learner’s welfare. Education should never be reduced to a profit-driven venture. Private institutions must invest in qualified staff, safe facilities, teaching materials, and transparent governance frameworks. By doing so, they not only build trust with parents but also contribute constructively to the national education agenda.
Ultimately, the decentralisation of school registration marks a turning point in the evolution of Zimbabwe’s education system. It is a reform rooted in the realities of today but aimed at the aspirations of tomorrow. It promises to reduce bureaucratic delays, enhance oversight, protect learners, and restore confidence in a system that has been threatened by unregulated growth.
More importantly, it redirects national focus to the heart of education — the child. The learner who wakes before dawn to walk several kilometres; the pupil who dreams of a better future; the young Zimbabwean whose hopes and potential depend on the quality of education they receive.
For these children, decentralisation is not an administrative development. It is a promise that the system will work better for them. And in fulfilling that promise, Zimbabwe moves closer to preserving its proud educational legacy while shaping a future defined by excellence, accountability, and equitable access for all.
