The Sunday News
The Sunday News is publishing parts of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme Reforms Agenda to conscientise the public on the Government’s new economic trajectory.
-Continued from last week
Transitional Stabilisation Programme and Human Development
THIS Section contains policy measures to enhance social service delivery, particularly targeting provision of education delivery, health services, and social protection.
Education Delivery
The Transitional Stabilisation Programme recognises that investment in education is a key poverty reduction strategy, as well as a vehicle for producing a skilled and capable workforce which will greatly assist in our agenda of pushing the frontiers of production.
In this regard, the Programme strives to ensure access to education for all. This will include providing adequate infrastructure, as well as opportunities for Non-Formal Education; early identification of children at risk of not entering the education system, dropping out or falling behind, and strategies to support those unable to meet fee and levy charges. The Transitional Stabilisation Programme will prioritise the production of additional human capital at local Polytechnics, Teachers’ Colleges and State Universities, through the rehabilitation and expansion of existing tertiary institutions. In addition, Zimbabwe’s educational system will be made relevant to the skills demands of the economy and markets.
Health Provision
In the health sector, the Programme targets incremental investments to achieve equitable coverage and enhanced quality of health delivery, to address the following critical challenges: Sub-standard quality of maternal health services, such as ante-natal care, delivery, and post-natal care, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. Medicine shortages, as well as family planning, and other essential drugs. Inadequacy of emergency transport and communication systems, which have a bearing on mortality rates. A growing burden of non-communicable diseases, due to sub-optimal dietary habits, lifestyle, and poor health services. Inadequate mitigation of environmental pollution, poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, nutrition and food security issues, which continue to affect the health status of citizens. Strengthening of the Health and Management Information System at the facility level.
The Transitional Stabilisation Programme also targets overcoming recurrence of seasonal and periodic outbreaks of public health challenges related to communicable diseases that the New Dispensation’s Vision 2030 targets to eradicate.
Empowerment
The Transitional Stabilisation Programme will be enhancing gender mainstreaming in all sectors of the economy in order to eliminate all negative economic, social and cultural practices that impede equality of sexes. Hence, Government will prioritise initiatives targeted at young people and women, to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty in a sustainable and permanent manner.
Furthermore, the Programme also contains tailor made interventions targeted at people facing physical challenges, as well as further foster integration of gender mainstreaming across all sectors, cognisant of Gender Equality as fundamental to achieving equitable, sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.
Governance reforms
The Transitional Stabilisation Programme measures to underpin economic reforms, broad based citizenry participation in national and socio-economic development programmes, and re-engagement with the global community will be complemented by governance reforms ushered in by the New Dispensation from November 2017.
These entail: Rule of Law, political Governance and Democratisation, respect for Human and Property Rights, national Unity, Peace and Reconciliation, Tolerance, Freedoms of Expression and Association. In support of this thrust, Government will continue to work with Civil Society and International Organisations, and also maintain open channels for dialogue to ensure that governance concerns are adequately and timeously addressed. The Transitional Stabilisation Programme will also give impetus to the New Dispensation initiatives to improve access to justice for the citizenry, including women and other vulnerable groups.
Implementation, monitoring and evaluation
The implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this Transitional Stabilisation Programme will involve the participation of all key stakeholders, embracing Government, Business, Labour, Civil Society, Academia, Development Partners, and Communities.
The existence of a high level results framework and associated indicators for tracking the performance of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme against clear baselines and targets will be central for success.
Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
The implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this Transitional Stabilisation Programme will involve the participation of all key stakeholders. The Programme will adopt the Results Based Management approach, using the 100 Days Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) methodology. In this regard, RRI training programmes, which have been targeting implementing line Ministries and State Owned Enterprises, will be continued. From this time around, Local Authorities will also be brought on board. The performance targets and benchmarks for the Transitional Stabilisation Programme will be set for various implementing entities, with a strict monitoring and evaluation framework developed.
High Level Results Framework
The formulation of a high level results framework and associated indicators for tracking the performance of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme against clear baselines and targets will be central for success. Accordingly, a Comprehensive Matrix of Policies, Projects and Programmes to be undertaken, as well as the attendant results to be achieved over the Programme period will be developed.
Steering Committee
In order to monitor movement towards devolution, a Steering Committee co-ordinated and administered by the Office of the President and Cabinet, will benchmark all services so that funds can be applied equitably across Provinces, and that Communities are not left behind. Oversight will be undertaken through co-chairs of the Focal Areas, and chaired by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, and will meet on a quarterly basis.
Technical Committee
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development will co-ordinate the implementation of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme by line ministries through the Technical Committee which will include co-chairs and focal persons from line ministries.
Programme Oversight
Cabinet, through Cabinet Committees and Parliament, through Parliamentary Portfolio Committees will also periodically review the progress of the implementation of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme. These monitoring arrangements will also allow opportunity for prompt tracking of implementation, and institution of corrective measures to keep the Programme on course, also using the Presidential Electronic Dashboard.
Conclusion
Sustained and consistent implementation of the above Transitional Stabilisation Programme measures represents Government’s commitment towards realisation of the aspirations of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030: “Towards a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society with Job Opportunities and High Quality of Life for its Citizens”.
