Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) continue to play a major role in plugging infrastructure gaps and improving access to quality education across Zimbabwe.
The partnerships are helping Government accelerate the construction of schools as it works to address the national schools deficit, which currently stands at 1 800.
Commissioning Wiltshire High School in Chikomba, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Torerai Moyo, said the Government was making significant progress towards improving access to quality education under the National Development Strategy 2.
“Before the establishment of this school, learners were walking from this area to Gandami Secondary School, a distance of 23 kilometres. We want to applaud you, Mr Munhangu, for establishing this school.
“In 2023, we had a shortage of 3 000 schools and now we have a deficit of 1 800 schools. We now have access to funding that exceeds US$600 million, which we are going to spend on the construction of at least 1 350 schools starting in November. By the time we get to 2029, the deficit will be zero,” said Prof Moyo.
He advised that the expansion of school infrastructure was being complemented by the Education 5.0 thrust, which seeks to move beyond examination-based learning towards practical skills, innovation and community development.
“We educate people so that they are able to discover new things. Necessity is the mother of invention. Education 5.0 calls upon us to move beyond the traditional understanding of education as simply teaching and learning for examinations.
“It brings together teaching, learning, community development, innovation and industrialisation. Our students, through innovation, have discovered and designed drawings. Through robotics and coding, they have designed irrigation infrastructure and combine harvesters,” he said.
Prof Moyo said Government was also working on mechanisms to support the commercialisation of student innovations.
“These are prototypes and two months ago, there was a Bill which was presented in Cabinet and was approved, where at least one percent of the Gross Domestic Product will contribute funding for transforming prototypes so that they become real objects,” he said.
Apart from laboratories and ICT learning facilities, Wiltshire High School runs projects in agriculture, clothing and textiles, in line with the heritage-based curriculum.
One learner said the practical projects were equipping students with skills that could be used beyond school.
“After completing school, I am going to do this project because I know how to manage these pigs. I know how to do everything that is required in terms of these pigs,” the learner said.
Another learner highlighted the importance of the textiles programme in building practical skills and supporting career aspirations.
“The importance of textiles, as a learner, is that it gives you confidence and it makes you know how to do fabric. For me, it’s an inspiration because when I grow up I want to be a fashion designer and I would like to help the country and other schools,” the learner said.
The school is also attracting learners from across Zimbabwe and beyond, with founder Torevei Munhangu saying its model was helping bridge the rural-urban divide.
“We have got kids coming from all over the country, even some from South Africa and from England. We are preparing our learners for work after school.
“Whilst others are thriving more and more on the agricultural side, we’re also thriving on the education side of their children, and it has helped to reverse the rural-urban divide,” Manhungu said.
Meanwhile as Zimbabwe strives to maintain a strong literacy record on the African continent, continued investment in education infrastructure, innovation and practical learning is expected to further strengthen the country’s capacity to provide quality and relevant education to its citizens.
