This report was presented to the National Assembly by the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Hon T. Moyo, on Tuesday 19th July 2022.
The full report is downloadable below.
The following passages are from the last page of the report:
17.0 Recommendations
1. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should enact an Education Financing Bill and policy framework to realize section 75 of the Constitution, by end of December 2022.
2. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should reconsider structural reforms aimed at decentralizing services, such as establishment of a stand-alone department meant for schools construction, by December 2022.
3. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should expedite the establishment of a Teachers Professional Council, by end of December 2022.
4. The Ministry of Finance should identify sources of financing education such as 0.5% of the Value Added Tax (VAT), a percentage from fuel among others and these should be ring-fenced for financing education, by end of December 2022.
5. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should consider extending the school feeding programme to secondary schools to encourage schools turnout, by December 2022.
18.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the benchmark visit to Kenya, Zambia and Ghana exposed the Committee to the various methods being implemented to realize free basic education. Whilst all the three countries have adopted the free basic education, in Zambia the programme commenced with the support of development partners and their withdrawal have raised sustainability issues. In Kenya, education financing remains a big challenge. Ghana has a far much better experience, not only is the free basic education concept provided for in their Constitution, the Government has enacted the education financing models with clear sources of funds. In addition, the Ghana model is decentralised with a number of Parastals created to assist the sister Ministry as well ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in delivering education services. Zimbabwe can learn a lot particularly enacting an education financing Bill to ensure that we realise section 75 of the Constitution
