Rural Teachers Demand 20 Percent Of National Budget Be Allocated To Education

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has demanded that the Government significantly raise the budget allocation for education from 14.04% of the total national budget in 2023 to 20% in 2024.

In a statement last week, ARTUZ stated that primary and secondary education is the bedrock of sustainable development and the Government should treat it as such. Part of the statement read:

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education may have boosted the highest allocation among all ministries in the 2023 budget, but it was nothing more than an empty gesture.

The allocation of ZWL$631.279bn, accounting for a mere 14.04% of the total national budget, fell far short of what was needed to make real improvements in the education sector…

ARTUZ demands a minimum budget allocation of 20% of GDP, aligning with the Dakar Declaration. This means allocating 4% to 6% of GDP to education, as outlined in the targets set by the Incheon Declaration for Education.

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We refuse to accept the government’s pitiful allocation of 0.4% of the total budget for the schools feeding programme. How can we expect our children to learn on empty stomachs?

The per capita allocation of US$1.60 per learner per year is an insult to their well-being. We demand an immediate increase of at least US$0.50 per learner per school day for the school feeding program. This program must expand to include urban schools affected by poverty as well.

Meanwhile, the Government has a staggering ZWL$278 billion outstanding bill for the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo was recently quoted as saying the Government is currently paying BEAM arrears for 2022.

BEAM was established in 2001 by the Government as part of the Enhanced Social Protection Programme (ESPP) the objective was to provide basic education to everyone in Zimbabwe including students who could not afford school fees such as Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

More: Pindula News