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Ruth Butaumocho African Agenda
When African leaders convened at the Organisation of African Unity’s 1961 conference in Addis Ababa, one of the issues that seized the convention was to ensure education in Africa would be accessed by all.
The post-Addis Ababa conference witnessed a flurry of activities which resulted in massive expansion of education across the continent, as member countries sought to align themselves with the continent’s goal.
Like other African countries eager to redeem discriminatory colonial educational policies by instituting universal education for their people, soon after the conference, Zimbabwe immediately came up with a policy to avail education for all.
The decision spawned millions of literate and high academic individuals who now hold powerful posts in global conglomerates and occupy very influential positions across the world.
Such huge investment in education also resulted in high literacy levels in Zimbabwe, earning the country an unmatched record in Africa.
As a result, education has remained the vital cog critical for the development not only in Zimbabwe, but across the globe.
For Zimbabwe, the vision has never been blurred, but continues to be amplified as attested by the huge investments Government is putting in education through various ventures and platforms.
Soon after getting into power in 2018, the New Dispensation, through President Mnangagwa immediately invited the private sector to invest in the education sector and complement Government’s efforts.
The invitation of private players, that is in line with the National Development Strategy 1 which seeks private sector participation in socio-economic growth, has seen a positive trajectory and invigorated efforts to grow the sector.
With churches already having a strong foothold in the sector after building hundreds of schools over the decades, Government’s decision to extend the olive leaf to deserving institutions and private players, is already bearing fruit judging by the number of new players who have shown keen interest and have since started massive construction projects across the country.
The overtures being done by the Second Republic will ensure Zimbabwe maintains its position as one of the leading countries in Africa with high literacy levels, a feat that was being threatened by inadequate learning infrastructure across Zimbabwe.
Some of the private players are already on the ground and have since started constructing part of the more than 2 000 primary and nearly 1 000 secondary schools needed by 2025 to fulfil infrastructural needs in the education sector.
Zimbabwe currently has 10 000 primary and secondary schools, but these institutions are failing to cope with growing demand for placements.
The construction of the additional schools will also fulfil the existing Government policy that requires that primary pupils be at least five kilometres apart, while secondary schools can be up to 10 kilometres.
Indications on the ground show that the call has already found takers, keen on bolstering education.
In 2021 a private company signed an agreement with the Government for the construction of more than 2 000 schools and these will be donated to Government.
Outside private investment, Government has also built several schools in the country’s 10 provinces using nearly $200 billion allocated for devolution funds.
Some of the schools built using devolution funds include Chirichoga Primary School under Masvingo Rural District Council, Ndemera Secondary School in Murehwa, Msenya Primary School in Binga and the state of the art Chidobera Primary School in Makonde.
These are not run-of-the-mill schools, but are well equipped with necessary amenities, that include laboratories, libraries, computers and some are being power by solar in areas that are not under the national electricity grid.
The private sector has also made steady progress in the construction of good and well equipped schools, which have embraced technology by conducting virtual lessons and use of online educational material instead of physical textbooks.
It is heartening to note that local investors are also among the private sector partners who are contributing immensely to education in line with President Mnangagwa’s mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene Vayo”.
With such positive support coming from Government, new entrants should not struggle to find footing in the sector that already has many Zimbabwean investors who took up investment in education, an area which was previously a fortitude for whites, mission schools, Government and municipalities.
The new entrants should take lessons from various players who have been steadily building solid brands in the sector by investing in infrastructure, high quality education and innovations, in line with Education 5.0 which promotes problem solving and value creation.
The growing interest by private players in the education sector, has created healthy competition resulting in progressive developments such as innovation in teaching and learning techniques, improved assessment techniques, choices in subjects combination as well as teaching methodologies.
Having started off as mere Early Child Development centres (ECD), some of the private schools owned by locals have grown in leaps and bounds and now house several educational centres, schools and even universities, which are now flourishing under different terms, “group of Schools”, “academy” or any other euphemism to support the magnitude of the growth or the intention in supporting education in Zimbabwe.
Names that easily come to mind are Maranatha Group of Schools, Direct Contact and Mother Touch Group of Schools, which started off as an ECD centres sometime in the 1990s.
When these private players ventured into the education sector, the terrain was rugged.
It was an uphill struggle to secure funding, amid growing resistance from old players, who felt that the rug was being pulled off their feet.
However, through determination and unparalleled passion to contribute towards education in Zimbabwe, some of the private players prevailed and are most the leading institutions in Zimbabwe, nurturing tomorrow’s leaders through providing quality education.
The role these educational institutions have been playing should be emulated and complemented by the new entrants who should not only be inspired by perceived super profits, but should be driven by genuine and sincere need to serve and bolster education in Zimbabwe.
Like priesthood, venturing into the education sector is a calling, which requires individuals and organisations whose need to serve outweighs the number of dollar signs in the bank accounts, since the business does offer super profits and neither does it flourish overnight.
Those who enter the sector should be genuine in their intent to serve, sincere and committed in contributing positively to the education sector in Zimbabwe which is still touted among the best in Africa.
It is within the same measure that the call to involve private players also need to be guarded jealously to ensure that education standards are not compromised due to the proliferation of unregistered backyard schools.
If anything, there is need for collaboration between new private players and reputable educational institutions that have ably walked the talk in amplifying the magnanimous of the private sector in education, on how to maintain equilibrium between quality and costs.
While private schools have often been under the spotlight in Africa for varying reasons, with allegations that they are making education elitist and a preserve of the few, research actually show that private education remains a viable option which is critical in ensuring access to education.
Well-regulated private schools, which create a balance between business and quality education, offer options that are not ordinarily available in conventional schools, but better alternatives, which in the long run will see a reduction in fees, and improved quality education.
In countries like Kenya, where private schools have been in existence for longer than other African countries, nearly two thirds of these schools, operate at a lower cost than some Government schools and still produce better results than those from conventional institutions.
The latest report of the Business of Education in Africa show that 21 percent of children in African countries were being educated in the private sector.
The report further states that the percentage is expected to rise to one in four children, as demand for quality education grows in most African countries.
However, for that feat to be achieved over the next few years, the report notes that $16 — $18 billion would be needed in investment in the private education sector.
The report also notes that when governments cease to be the only sponsors in education, and when other players get involved in the sector, service delivery will improve.
Such a feat becomes easy because learning activities in private institutions will push public schools to improve the quality of services they provide.
With the standing policy which reduces the walking distance of pupils in both primary and secondary education, and the interest that the private sector is showing in investing in education, building 3 000 schools across Zimbabwe should not be a Herculean task for those who appreciate the numerate the benefits that comes along in partnering Government in education.
Already there are provisions to avail land and a conducive environment to those keen on venturing into the education sector.
President Mnangagwa has on several occasions said Government will continue engaging stakeholders in nurturing investor friendly environment to spur growth. This includes entrenching the rule of law and property rights.
More specifically on the education sector investment, President Mnangagwa recently reiterated the need for greater infrastructural development in the industry, from primary level right up to tertiary.
To support this, he said, windows of investment were plenty and these could be done via private sector participation under build, operate and transfer agreements as well public- private sector partnerships.
That vision to improve quality education in Zimbabwe should not be lost in translation, but requires diligent implementation and diligent players, who are not fixated with huge profits only, but are also keen on developing the sector.
With the unprecedented challenges that the education sector faced during Covid 19, which forced the closure of schools as governments battled to contain the pandemic, the private players should invest hugely on technology to promote virtual learning and adaptation to new teaching methodologies should the need arise.
While the country may be keen to see more investors in the sector this is one area that needs strong regulatory framework to ensure ethics are maintained, while encouraging healthy competition among investors keen on education.
Private sector investors should be held accountable for the curriculum and the nature of investment they put in the sector so that pupils’ education is not compromised through the introduction of different doctrines or ideologies that are not in sync with the nation’s aspirations.
Government should further fine tune the regulatory framework to ensure access for all children, protect individuals and families from exploitation and further promotes an environment that encourages innovation in education.
Being a God fearing nation is one of ethos that Zimbabwe safely guards and needs to be preserved through keeping a close eye on the curricular across schools, to discourage any intention to smuggle norms and practices that are alien to the country’s norms and values.
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