GOVERNMENT has increased budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as the country pursues a free education policy which will result in more vulnerable learners not paying school fees next year.
Earlier this year, Government announced that it will gradually introduce a free education policy in line with the dictates of the country’s Constitution.
This year, the Government paid school fees for two-million vulnerable pupils under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education received the highest budgetary allocation of $631,2 billion in the 2023 National Budget.
The budget will support the employment of teachers, infrastructure development as well as providing sanitary wear for the girl child.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday said providing free education is not just a constitutional provision but also an obligation that Zimbabwe signed up to with international education bodies.
He said this as he presented the $4,5 trillion 2023 National Budget.
“The country is a signatory to international declarations such as the Dakar recommendation of 20 percent allocation to education, which implies substantial increases in funding for the sector. In line with the Constitution, every child has a right to basic education. In pursuit of the policy of free basic education, the budget will direct resources towards increased free education coverage,” said Prof Ncube.
As a result, Zimbabwe has allocated 18,5 percent towards the education sector at both primary and tertiary levels.
Prof Ncube said the budgetary allocation to the education sector covers the $31 billion which is 55 percent of the money required in running the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) public examination for Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.
“The budget will also cater for the procurement of teaching and learning materials in support of the competence-based curriculum, as well as payment of levies for primary and secondary rural pupils from disadvantaged families. This will be complemented by the Development Partners’ support projected at US$25,2 million towards the sector, to further strengthen the education systems to be more effective and inclusive, thereby contributing to wider reforms of the national education system,” said Prof Ncube.
The Minister allocated $2,8 billion towards the school feeding programme as a social protection measure to retain impoverished pupils in schools.
Schools will be expected to provide one hot balanced school meal on each day of school for vulnerable schoolchildren
Prof Ncube said the girl child is also catered for under the free sanitary wear programme through an allocation of $1,5 billion.
“The programme of providing free sanitary wear to pupils, will be sustained in 2023 to address the plight of the girl child, especially in rural areas with efforts being made to address distribution bottlenecks encountered during the previous years,” said Prof Ncube.
“Therefore, the 2023 National Budget has a provision of $1,5 billion towards the procurement and distribution of sanitary wear to public schools.”
He said there is a growing demand for teachers to ensure the delivery of quality education, especially at the infant level.
Prof Ncube said Government will recruit 7 000 teachers next year.
“Furthermore, support will be extended to teacher training, with relevant skills for deployment in marginalised areas. This will be complemented by incentives to attract and retain such skills,” said Prof Ncube.
He said Government is committed to improving access to quality and inclusive education and $4,2 billion have been allocated towards equipping several schools with furniture and science laboratories.
Prof Ncube said providing schools with information communication technology gadgets remains critical for the country to produce pupils that fit in modern society and a 600 million budget had been set aside.
He said to complement the Government’s ICT digital platforms development programme Government is in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and Microsoft on a GIGA programme to ensure that every school in the country is connected to the internet.
He said the ICT connectivity programme is supported by the Government Rural Electrification Programme, where schools are being electrified to improve the quality of education.
“The REA programme is also installing solar panels in schools, especially in the rural areas, with the support of development partners,” he said.
Prof Ncube said the Office of the President and Cabinet Office was allocated $161,7 billion to cover overall Government supervision under the Presidium including the engagement and re-engagement programme and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Ministry was allocated $91,6 billion for social protection nets.
Prof Ncube allocated Defence and War Veterans Ministry was allocated $331,1 billion to cover security issues and the welfare of war veterans and the Finance and Economic Development Ministry was allocated $259,9 billion formulation of macroeconomic policies and national development plans, as well as mobilisation and management of public resources.
He said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce was allocated $15,6 billion which will cover support programmes for industry such as industrialisation, consumer protection and quality assurance.
Prof Ncube said to ensure national food security, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development was allocated $362,5 billion and Mines and Mining Development Ministry was allocated $12,9 billion.
He said the Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry has a budget provision of $14,2 billion to support environmental and tourism policies and programmes including environmental protection while the Transport and Infrastructural Development Ministry got $144,6 billion which will support the development of transport and transport-related infrastructure such as roads, airports, railway and ports of entry.
Prof Ncube said Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry was allocated $81,9 billion to promote, protect and safeguard the interest of the country and the Local Government and Public Works Ministry got an allocation of $98,6 billion which will be used to strengthen local authorities’ governance and provision and maintenance of Government infrastructure.
He said Health and Child Care Ministry was allocated $473,8 billion to support the provision of health care services to citizens and to promote human capital development Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Ministry was allocated $156,5 billion.
Prof Ncube said the Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry was allocated $18,5 billion to support women empowerment programmes, gender equality and promotion of small and medium enterprises development.
He said towards the maintenance of law and order, registration and issuance of secure identification documents, as well as migration management, the Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Ministry was allocated $293 billion and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs was allocated $120,3 billion for the delivery of justice, incarceration and rehabilitation of offenders.
Prof Ncube said Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Ministry was allocated $8,6 billion for information dissemination to the public and image building and Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation was allocated $25,1 billion.
He said to promote the provision of energy supply and the bulk of the allocation targets electricity supply interventions, Power and Energy Development Ministry was allocated $15,5 billion and Information, Communication Technology and Courier Services were allocated $17,4 billion towards the promotion of access and utilisation of ICTs, mainly targeting E-Government projects, maintenance of national systems and establishment of community information centres.
Prof Ncube said the National Housing and Social Amenities Ministry was allocated $27,7 billion for the provision of affordable and decent housing. – The Chronicle
