- Govt says implementation of new curriculum is going on well
- University grants are now back
- 2 000 new schools opened
- MDC says 20 400 pupils dropped out of school in 2018 due to high and anti-poor school fees
- MDC adds teachers are earning less than US$40 monthly, hence their apathy in the execution of duty.
INFORMATION ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana says President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is working hard to resuscitate the education sector and has so far managed to open 2 000 new schools.
Writing on his microblogging Twitter account, Mangwana said government was currently implementing the new curriculum and had increased enrollment in the higher education sector since Mnangagwa came to power.
In his tweet, Mangwana highlighted what he said were government’s achievements since 2017: “ED and education sector: (a) Implementation of new curriculum which is going on well (b) Higher education now 5.0 from 3.0 (c) University grants are now back (d) 2 000 new schools opened (e) Student accommodation being built.”
Speaking to Zim Morning Post, Mangwana said his government was committed to improving the education sector as it believed the future of the country belonged to an educated populace.
“Government prioritises education and believes that the future of the country lies in the next generation,” he said.
Mangwana’s sentiments come at a time Zimbabwe’s economic fortunes continue to show no signs of abating, with most of families now unable to access decent basic education.
Teachers in most public schools last year declared incapacitation and have since then been unable to effectively meet most of the professional targets as described in their job-description manual.
The incapacitation – which has since metamorphosed into industrial action – has wreaked havoc in the entire education sector, accounting be for 87 primary schools recording a zero pass rate in the 2019 Zimsec grade seven examinations.
MDC secretary for Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, Fadzai Mahere hit back at Mangwana’s Twitter comment, saying the education sector had hit rock bottom since the advent of the new dispensation.
She lashed out at claims by Mangwana, saying the new curriculum was cumbersome:
“Eighty-seven schools recorded 0% pass rate in Zmsec Grade 7 results of 2019, 20 400 pupils dropped out of school in 2018 due to high and anti-poor school fees,” Mahere retorted.
She also said teachers were earning less than US$40 monthly, hence their apathy in in the execution of duty.
Mahere also revealed that the country had a shortage of 5 907 early childhood development teachers.