By Tinaani Nyabereka
Harare -Zimbabwean education is underfunded and does not to meet the Dakar Declaration standards, Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) has said.
ZINASU Chairperson, Simbarashe Rambiyawo was speaking during a ZIMCODD WhatsApp Cafe discussion with stakeholders on current the state of the education system in Zimbabwe.
Rambiyawo told the participants that equality and accessibility in the education system, which in the long run will assist in building quality education.
“With the goal of creating a more equitable and fair system for all students around the country, one important aspect of social justice in education is the issue of educational equality and accessibility to education. First and foremost, there is need to ensure that education is funded so that we can have access and quality education to marginalized communities.
“This refers to the idea that all students, regardless of their background, should have access and chance to afford the same quality within the education system. Section 75 of the Zimbabwean Constitution is very clear on accessible and affordable education. The state of education right now is in a deep crisis.
“Education has become more accessible to the elites neglecting other students who come from different backgrounds, thereby creating an aspect of the haves and have-nots. It lays bare the difference of being a student from Borrowdale and a ghetto youth from Mbare,” said Rambiyawo.
He said the welfare of students was worrisome as most institutions of higher learning were hiking fees ignoring the economic hardships.
“State institutions demand fees in USD forgetting the daily struggles of the children of civil servants. Children of vendors who can’t pay such expected amounts demanded by tertiary institutions leading to structural inequalities.
“Urban institutions at the present moment are still suffering also from the education system which is being underfunded especially tertiary institutions, which reflects how our system has deteriorated.
“There is need to ensure we raise awareness, emphasizing on farcical discipline to ensure our educations system achieve the, education 5.0. We need also to ensure the channeled budget meet the expected percentage so that there is sufficient and adequate resources to improve the system.
He also said there was an unemployment and skills gap where the education system may not sufficiently align with the needs of the job market, resulting in a skills gap,” Rambiyawo added.
Chairperson Rambiyawo however said many young people were graduating without the skills demanded by employers a development that is contributing to high unemployment rates among the youth.
“This situation negatively impact their livelihoods, as they struggle to find suitable employment opportunities. Economic hardships and high rate of unemployment have also led to the education just being an achievement but without anywhere to implement the knowledge and skills.
“Since the education system is underfunded, the schools have no option than to raise the school fees in order to sustain the needs for the schools to operate effectively,” he said.
The Zimbabwean government stands as a signatory to channeling the expected 20 percent towards education as noted in the Dakar declaration. The Dakar declaration witnessed the education for all movement a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all the youths at World Education Forum in 2000. About 164 government pledged to achieve EFA and identify 6 goals to be met by 2015.
