The Zimbabwe Standard
Saturday, 30 May 2009
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
BULAWAYO – An average of 30 pupils share one text book in Zimbabwe’s schools as a result of years of gross under-funding which precipitated the collapse of the country’s once envied education sector, Education minister, Senator David Coltart said last week.
Coltart who has appealed to the private sector to partner the inclusive government in its efforts to revive the sector said there was a shocking shortage of study materials with some schools only equipped with one textbook per class in any given subject.
“There is a terrible shortage of textbooks in the country,” he said after receiving a donation of textbooks worth US$5 000 for eight schools in Bulawayo donated by the British embassy.
“At rural schools the ratio of students sharing textbooks is 30 -1 while in urban areas it is mostly 15-1 or 20 – 1. This shortage requires urgent redress,” he said.
The text books, which the embassy said were aimed at helping the Government of National Unity revive the collapsed education sector, were shared between Northlea, Emganwini, Montrose, Hamilton, Cowdray Park, Magwegwe, Emakhandeni and Entumbane secondary schools.
British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Andrew Pocock, said the UK was committed to helping Zimbabwe revive its education sector that has been shattered by years of neglect and under-funding.
“The textbooks are the building blocks for young minds that are the future generation that will rebuild Zimbabwe,” said Pocock in his address.
Most schools in the country are grappling with a severe shortage of textbooks, equipment and teachers who quit over poor salaries.
“We are presiding over schools that lack any form of being a school except standing structures”, said Northlea High School headmaster, Wilson Moyo, who hosted the ceremony.
“The school system and everything that makes up a school in Zimbabwe has just collapsed and continues to be on a nosedive.”
Coltart has set himself on a course to revive the education sector by sourcing money for textbooks and to pay teachers but lack of funding from Western governments who are demanding drastic political and economic reforms before loosening their purse strings has slowed down the initiative.
However, Pocock said there were signs that real change was on the horizon and this would encourage donors to support the unity government.
“We feel change is in the winds, it (change) may not be quick or fast. It might delay but we can see change coming to Zimbabwe,” Pocock said.
“Zimbabwe has many international friends and that friendship has never been lost. . . Zimbabwe’s friends are ready and already beginning to assist.”
Meanwhile, the provincial education director, Dan Moyo, said the city’s 47 schools were still facing a serious shortage of teachers of mathematics, science and technical subjects despite an amnesty for all teachers who had deserted the profession due to low pay.
“Teachers came back but schools do not have teachers to teach those subjects,” Moyo said.