Zimbabwe to provide free and compulsory basic education from 2023

Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa has said his administration will provide free and compulsory basic education from 2023.

He made the statement in a virtual presentation of The High Level Summit on Transforming Education, which forms part of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

“Going forward, my Government will progressively provide universal, free and compulsory basic education with effect from 2023′, Mnangagwa said.

Zimbabwe had a programme in which education was compulsory, in the early years of independence. With less money put to to social services, and as the economy suffered education started becoming less compulsory and more based on payment as a service. That resulted in a huge swathe of people, particularly in the 2000s, who did not get sufficient and quality education.

While the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) targeted at at-risk families was introduced in 2001, it eventually left a significant many out.

Speaking further Mnangagwa talked about the ‘education transformation agenda’ key enablers.

“These include the implementation of inclusive education policies; strengthening of Technical and Vocational Education and Training skills as well as the capacity development of teachers in science and technology related learning fields,” Mnangagwa told participants.

Mnangagwa has left the country for the UNGA in New York.

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