Govt Says No Money For Free Education The government says it has no money to go through with free education despite it being one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s promises during his 2018 election campaign.
Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu told Parliament that her ministry was not well equipped to undergo the exercise as they were not given enough money during the 2023 budget.
“We wish to do that, to give free education, but it is unfortunate we have US$6,3 million (for the exercise) and that is not enough,” she said.
In 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law the Education Amendment Act which compels the State to provide free basic education in line with provisions of section 27 of the Constitution.
Section 27 reads: “The State must take all practical measures to promote (a) free compulsory basic education for children…”
Ndlovu said the Act must be respected but it is difficult with dry coffers.
“At times I sit and wonder whether we can afford to pay fees. The truth of the matter is we want to pay fees for every child. We have a policy in this country, an Act of Parliament that demands that we pay fees and as a House of Assembly, we agreed to it.”
For years, the government has been promising free basic education but has failed to implement the policy.
A recent global study by World Remit 2022 ranked the country’s education as one of the most expensive, and six times more than the total average income of an average family, resulting in thousands of school dropouts
