Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
ILLEGAL sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by some Western powers have adversely affected education institutions, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Eveline Ndlovu has said.
Zimbabwe has been under illegal sanctions for the past two decades following an embargo imposed by the United States and its Western allies as a response to the country’s fast track land reform programme meant to correct the skewed landownership that favoured white farmers.
The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has, despite the sanctions, made tremendous economic progress even in the education sector, using locally available resources as it implements the
Sadc Heads of State and Government in 2019 proclaimed October 25 as a day of solidarity with the Zimbabwean people against sanctions.
This followed a meeting held by Sadc leaders in Tanzania where member states resolved to conduct various activities in their respective countries on the day to resoundingly call for the immediate removal of the sanctions.
President Mnangagwa will on Tuesday lead the Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations with several activities that include solidarity marches, speeches and an all-night gala that have been lined up.
The Second Republic has set the country’s economy on the recovery path in a short space of time despite the fact that the country continues to be under the yoke of illegal sanctions.
Even the brain drain that has befallen the country as a result of sanctions has not crippled the education sector and Zimbabwe’s literacy rates is more than 88 percent.
Speaking in Victoria Falls recently, Dr Ndlovu said sanctions led to the demise of industry that supported education.
“Sanctions are our biggest challenge in education and have affected us immensely. Business and industries that used to support education sector by capacitating schools closed and this means our schools are struggling to operate,” said Dr Ndlovu.
She was speaking on the sidelines of the recent belated International Literacy Day celebrations at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School.
Speaking at the same occasion, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education chairperson, Cde Torerai Moyo said the Second Republic should be commended for keeping the country’s education going despite the illegal sanctions.
“In-fact we need to applaud President Mnangagwa for the stance that he has taken that starting next year there is going to be education for all in terms of section 75 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe where Government is going to provide funding from Early Childhood Development to Advanced Level.
“These sanctions have affected us in a big and very negative way in that access to education is being inhibited. Development partners who we are supposed to do business with can’t continue supporting Zimbabwe because Zimbabwe is a red flag where international creditors who are supposed to assist us in construction of schools and providing educational materials are not properly given access,” said Cde Moyo.
He said in order to mitigate the impact of sanctions, there is need to find sanctions busting measures like emphasising on domestic resource mobilisation to finance education instead of waiting for donors.
Cde Moyo said relying on donors is a weakness.
“We are saying as Sadc and Africa, sanctions must go. It is very important and indispensable for us as Zimbabweans to speak with one voice and we don’t want people who are advocating for continuation of sanctions because they are affecting the economy and educational standards in Zimbabwe,” said Cde Moyo. – @ncubeleon.
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