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Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has applauded the Government for embracing the African Union’s (AU) comprehensive roadmap to revitalise education systems on the continent.
In a statement at the weekend, the commission said the right to education was provided for in the African Human Rights Instruments such as African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
Africa Day was commemorated on Saturday under the theme “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive lifelong quality and relevant learning in Africa”.
In Zimbabwe, Section 75 of the Constitution provides for the right to education including a basic State-funded education that encompasses adult basic education.
The commission said the Education 5.0 model and 6 innovation hubs were aimed at facilitating innovative thinking and industrialisation, consequently increasing access to inclusive lifelong quality and relevant learning in Zimbabwe.
“The Government has since the attainment of independence in 1980, invested heavily in improvement of access to resilient and comprehensive education systems,” reads the statement.
“Recently enacted policies on inclusive education for children with disabilities and reintegration of pregnant and adolescent mothers into the education system, and non-exclusion of children from classes for non-payment of school fees augur well with inclusive education.
“Resilient education systems foster critical thinking and creativity and envisage a learner placed in a conducive learning environment with well-trained teaching personnel and adequate learning materials.
“Despite the sterling efforts towards provision of access to education in Zimbabwe, several factors militate against the provision of holistic and quality education, such as shortage of teaching and learning resources, low moral for teachers due to inadequate remuneration and incentives, unsatisfactory working conditions as well as the brain drain particularly of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers.”
The commission said learners from poor backgrounds were more disadvantaged as they were not able to offer any pecuniary benefits to the teachers in order to access quality education.
It said technical factors such as lack of appropriate and adequate technology, scarcity of hardware and software in schools, limited expertise of teachers, lack of electricity and internet connectivity were some of the factors affecting integration of ICT in the education sector to improve the quality of education particularly in rural areas.
“More investment in education is therefore needed to enable the country to offer education fit for the 21st century and building a resilient education system for increased access to inclusive lifelong quality and relevant learning whereby learners reach their full potential enabling them to contribute towards building the continent,” reads the statement.
“In addition, the Government should prioritise addressing grievances of teachers over remuneration and working conditions for teachers in the public sector.
“The general public should be conscientised on the importance of paying school fees in time and honouring drawn up school fees payment plans.”
This year’s Africa Day theme focused on the imperative to prioritise an integrated education system capable of equipping Africans with comprehensive skills to tackle challenges.
The theme also resonated quite well with Africa’s Development blueprint Agenda 2063’s goal to have well educated citizens and skills revolution underpinned by science, technology and innovation.
The Commission congratulated Ms Jessie Majome for her election by the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions to represent Southern Africa at the Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter