ZIMTA lobbies for increased education sector funding

Farirai Machivenyika

Senior Reporter

Increased Government spending on public education is one way of ensuring equitable access to knowledge as envisaged in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) president, Mr Akuneni Maphosa said on Monday.

Mr Maphosa said this while addressing legislators during a workshop to promote the Go Public, Fund Education Campaign calling for Government to increase funding for public education.

“Public Education is the surest route to the achievement of SDG number 4, “Ensure Inclusive, Equitable Quality Education and Long-Life learning Opportunities for all”.

“Studies elsewhere have shown that underfunding public education derails progress and it only accelerates privatisation which further promotes inequalities within society,” he said.

Mr Maphosa bemoaned the decline in budget allocation for education resulting in failure to meet internationally accepted standards.

“In the recent past, we have seen budget allocations towards education failing to meet the internationally accepted benchmark of 6 percent of the GDP or at least 20 percent of the National budget.

“This underfunding of education is also happening against the backdrop that education is one of the highest spending items on the budget and that between 75 percent and 95 percent of all the money allocated to the education budget goes to paying teachers’ salaries and only a handful remains for other education items,” he said.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Ophias Murambiwa said his committee will use the current budget-making process to lobby for increased allocation to the education sector.

“The presentation was eye-opening and we will use the current budget-making exercise to call for more resources to the sector in line with international standards,” he said.

The chairperson of the Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion Committee, Cde Clemence Chiduwa said it was critical that Government disburse funds allocated to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

“We went around the country gathering people’s views and they spoke loudly that Government should prioritise ministries dealing with education, health and other social ministries. The Committee is also of the view that whatever is allocated should be disbursed on time because the major issue has been late disbursement of funds and this has affected service delivery,” he said.