The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka and Lungile Tshuma
ZIMBABWE’S education sector generates over $1,5 billion annually and is by far the biggest industry in the country. Although the sector’s potential is largely not recognised, analysts have said, it has the potential to lead the country’s economic revival.
Recently, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Professor Paul Mavhima revealed that primary and secondary schools in the country realise about $1 billion through School Development Committee (SDC) levies, annually.
The amount only includes Government schools, and could be more if private schools and a flurry of private colleges operating in most cities around the country are to be factored in. Ironically, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has only received $4,3 million from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
On the other hand, State and private universities as well as polytechnic colleges are also realising over $500 million through tuition fees, most of which is, however, being channeled towards administrative costs due to poor business models.
The Higher and Tertiary Education Ministry was allocated $4,8 million in the 2015 national budget.
Analysts said the billions realised in the education sector (primary and secondary, and tertiary combined) may see the sector leading the country’s economic revival drive if channeled towards curriculum and infrastructural development.
Economic analyst Mr Christopher Mugaga said the amount of money realised through education was a sign of how inelastic the sector is and how much value Zimbabweans place on education.
He, however, said the billions realised in the sector will not mean much if all of the money is being channeled towards administration and day to day running of institutions.
“We need to look at that money as capital that can be reinvested into infrastructure development. We also need to look at how those funds can be used to develop the education curriculum to produce graduates who will fit into industry. Due to poor business models by most universities and schools, most of the money is channeled towards administrative purpose, yet that is capital critically needed to drive the economy.
“What am I saying? We need to revise our curriculum. If you look at most universities in the country, they are producing theorists rather than people who are able to work in our industries or create employment on their own. If we channel some of the funds realised in our institutions towards curriculum review, those billions will see the education sector start contributing towards economic development,” he said.
State Universities like Great Zimbabwe and Midlands State Universities, have slowly established themselves as mainstays of economies in the cities they are located with the latter emerging as one of the biggest employers in Gweru.
Another economic commentator, Mr Milton Webb Ndlovu, said tertiary institutions in the country have the potential to take the lead in reviving the country’s economy through research and implementation, as well as proffering solutions to the country’s challenges.
“It is not questionable that solutions to any problems in any given country in the world comes from academics. With proper investment to the education sector, academics can devise new technology that will be used by industries and replace the old and depleted machines which some companies are still using,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“Local authorities around the country will not have to import chemicals to purify water because local universities will be able to produce such chemicals. With all that the country can save millions.”
Apart from realising over $1,5 billion through tuition fees, which can be used as capital, the education sector also creates multimillion dollar business to downstream industries, thereby sustaining the country’s economy. Prof Mavhima told Sunday News that the project that Government has embarked on to build an additional
2 500 schools required close to $2,5 billion.
“The ministry is committed in ensuring that infrastructural development is improved in schools. Of the 2 500 schools that need to be built around the country, the ministry will spend close to $2,5 billion. Recently we got $20 million and that is only for building 17 schools. We invited people or companies that will want to partner us in this initiative and we are in discussion with them and everything is going well,” said Prof Mavhima.
Zimbabwe Building Constructors’ Association (ZBCA) national president Mr Obert Sibanda said the construction of additional schools will provide massive business for the construction sector, creating thousands of jobs in the process.
“The construction of classrooms which the ministry is talking about will revive many sectors which are not performing well, particularly the construction industry. Each classroom block is built by 30 people and this takes into account all the services from foundation to completion of the building. This therefore means that about 75 000 people will be employed in constructing classrooms. The $2,5 billion that Government says it has budgeted for the project translates to the amount of business the construction industry will realise,” he said.
Another downstream industry that literally lives off the education sector is the stationery industry. Rough calculations by Sunday News showed that on average the estimated 3,2 million pupils in both primary and secondary schools in Zimbabwe spend over $32 million annually on exercise books and pens, while schools also use a significant amount of money on stationery for administrative use. The clothing sector is also another industry that feeds off the education sector through provision of school uniforms.
Besides collecting billions of dollars as levies, Primary and Secondary Education Ministry is arguably the largest employer as it employs close to 110 000 teachers and an estimated 25 000 supporting staff which include bursars, cleaners, cooks, security guards and also drivers.
