Govt To Provide Free Education Starting In 2023
The Government says it will commence a State-funded basic education programme next year, with learners from underprivileged communities set to benefit first.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said the Government conducted a three-year nationwide study to establish the costs involved in the programme.
The study, which covered 20 schools – two schools in each province – sought to classify public schools by location and learners’ level of need, among other things.
In categorising schools for the purposes of the programme, institutions currently classified as “Group A” schools have now been reclassified as P1 (for primary schools) and S1 (for secondary schools).
Missionary schools, currently classified as “Group B” institutions, are now classified as P2 and S2 schools.
Learning institutions in rural areas and poor communities (formerly Group C) have been classified as P3 and S3 schools.
When the State-funded basic education programme starts in the First Term next year, P3 and S3 schools will be the first to receive grants.
The schools will receive grants from the government in lieu of tuition and school development levies from parents and guardians.
The number of schools that are set to benefit from the first phase has not been disclosed but Moyo said a policy framework to guide implementation was being crafted. He said:
Our schools have been categorised into three distinct groupings for the purpose of giving them grants.
The categorisation takes into account the location of schools.
What we have done is look at the unit cost of educating a child.
I will not disclose that but we have already come up with a figure, which is still at the consultative stage.
Primary learners have their own figure; the same as secondary school learners.
Learners will also get Information Communication Technology gadgets to facilitate online learning.
The devices are being assembled by the State-owned tech enterprise Zimbabwe Information Technology Company (ZITCO).
