… As government fails to meet Abuja and Dakar Declarations year in year out
By Beverly Bizeki
Zimbabwe is rated among one of the countries with the worst education and health sectors that has led to a serious brain drain in both sectors and this is largely caused by corruption and lack of accountability on the few resources allocated towards these causes. The country is a signatory to both the Abuja Declaration on health which states that 15 percent of the national budget should be allocated towards health and the Dakar Declaration which states that 20 percent of the same be allocated on education.
Both frameworks have become a rallying call to mobilize more resources from government coffers for the health and education sector and government reference both declarations in their sector goals and policy documents.
The question however has remained on whether or not government is failing on meeting the declarations as it has continually fallen short of the stipulated budgets on both sides or this was just a mere lack of interest to fulfill its obligations.
A close look at the budgets for the previous five years shows that government has over the past failed to meet the required targets. In 2021, the health sector received a budget of 12.7 percent of the ZWL $927. 3 billion budget far short of the stipulated 15 percent for the health sector. Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube lied that the 2022 national budget allocated ZWL$117.7 billion to the Ministry of Health and Child Care which represents 14.9 percent of the budget. The budget allocated that health ministry was allocated ZWL$117.7 billion against a total budget of ZWL$927.3 billion which is 12.7 percent of the national budget.
The 2022 budget set aside 14.9% (ZW$117 billion) of the total votes towards the provision of health care which was an increase from the 13 percent allocated in 2021. Education received the second-highest allocation in 2022, getting 13.1% of the total budget.
In 2023, the Budget set aside 11 percent of total expenditures towards the heath sector. The health sector also benefits from Development Partner support, having received a total of US$408.3 million during the first nine months of 2022. The support went towards the areas of maternal, new born, child adolescent and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria prevention programmes, and strengthening of the health delivery systems. In 2023, the sector is projected to receive US$212.9 million
In line with the commitments and the need to ensure a knowledge driven economy, an amount of ZWL$787.8 billion, which was 14 percent of total expenditures was allocated to both primary and secondary, as well as higher and tertiary education in the same year.
For 2024, the government projected set aside Z$6.3 trillion towards the recovery of public health sector services and Z$2.5 trillion towards construction and rehabilitation of medical facilities and procurement of medical stuff and the percentage was 11 percent.
The government also set aside Z$8 trillion of the total expenditures for 2024 for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education while Z$2.4 trillion went towards Higher and Tertiary Education which is 12.40 percent.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe Obert Masaraure has however dismissed the fact that government was failing to meet the demands of the Dakar Declaration but said it lacked interest in will as it has been spending its resources on other needs. Masaraure bemoaned government’s appetite for power at the expense of other vital things like education.
“The government of Zimbabwe has the capacity to meet the Dakar declaration threshold on education financing. The consistent failure to adhere to Dakar is just a sign that government has very little regard for education. Their priorities are elsewhere. We have a government led by people who prioritise power preservation ahead of serving the people. They invest more in tear smoke to crush peaceful protests than on exercise books for our learners,” said Masaraure.
Masaraure said ARTUZ was working on pressurizing and persuading the government to be responsible.
“The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, is employing multiple measures of both persuasion and pressuring duty bearers to own up. ARTUZ gathers evidence of impact of underfunding education and consistently share with duty bearers in a bid to persuade them to act. The Union is also partnering with parents in Parents Teacher Association to collectively advocate for more funding,” said Masaraure.
On the late disbursement of BEAM funds, Masaraure said this had a negative impact on development of schools.
“Late disbursements have a serious negative impact on viability of schools
Schools are failing to meet overheads because they are owed by government
Learners are losing out on right to education as they are barred to access the classroom at times.
The distribution of food for the school feeding program has not been transparent and learners are losing out. We call for devolution of the management of resources meant for education,” said Masaraure.
Youth Decide Director Learnmore Munhangu blamed the lack of political will by government to prioritise education by government saying it perpetuated classes of inequalities amongst the haves and have nots as was in the colonial era.
“The Zimbabwe Constitution, Section 75, guarantees the right to basic state-funded education, yet historical, economic, legislative, policy, and cultural factors persistently obstruct this right. Lack of political will exacerbates our education crisis, perpetuating inequalities stemming from colonial-era racial and class segregation, which deny poor households access to good schools and modern subjects.
To rectify this, we urge the government to allocate at least 20% of the national budget to education, as stipulated by the Dakar Framework for Action. Tackling corruption in the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) program and addressing the brain drain of qualified educators fleeing to neighboring countries is also crucial. The COVID-19 pandemic has left vulnerable children behind, necessitating deliberate action to cover lost ground,” said Munhangu.
Youth Decide Zimbabwe recommends increasing funding, corruption reduction, teacher retention, child marriage prevention, and public-private partnerships to improve education. By addressing these challenges, we can empower our youth and create a brighter future for Zimbabwe. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Communications Director Taungana Ndoro said the government had expectations to meet the Dakar Declaration by 2025 and was working on a number of factors to improve the education system.
“While budget constraints have historically posed challenges, the government is actively working to address these issues. Recent initiatives demonstrate a commitment to improving educational outcomes, such as increased investment. The government has been gradually increasing its budget allocation for education, aiming to reach the recommended 20 percent by 2025. This investment is expected to enhance the quality of education, improve infrastructure, and provide essential resources.
“Efforts to target funding towards under-resourced schools and marginalized communities are being prioritized, ensuring that all students have access to quality education. Mitigating Negative Impacts of Underfunding on Educational Quality and Equity
The Ministry of Education is implementing several proactive measures to improve educational quality and equity. On Strategic Resource Allocation, there is a concerted effort to allocate resources more effectively, focusing on critical areas such as teacher training, infrastructure development, and learning materials. The ministry is fostering partnerships with NGOs and international organizations to supplement funding and support innovative educational programs, enhancing overall educational delivery. Increasing community involvement in school governance is empowering local stakeholders and fostering a sense of ownership over educational initiatives.
To ensure that education funds are utilized effectively, the government is adopting robust transparency and accountability measures such as strengthened financial management systems. The implementation of improved public financial management systems is enhancing tracking and reporting of educational expenditures, ensuring funds are used efficiently.
Engaging parents, teachers, and civil society in budget planning and monitoring has increased accountability and public trust in the education sector.
The government has committed to conducting regular audits and publishing reports on education funding, which helps identify areas for improvement and ensures resources are allocated appropriately.
Establishing channels for feedback from the community allows for timely adjustments and ensures that the needs of educators and students are met.
As the government works diligently toward its goals, there is a strong sense of optimism that by 2025, we will witness significant improvements in public education. The commitment to fulfilling the Dakar Declaration is clear, and the ongoing efforts will undoubtedly lead to a more equitable and high-quality education system for all,” said Ndoro.
Government has, for two years, failed to disburse funds to schools towards payment of the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) fees after the programme was reintroduced, a development that has left many schools struggling which has made some headmasters suggest that government should declare education free for all.
