Free education for all possible says Moyo

Zim Now Writer

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education Torerayi Moyo says that free education is attainable.

“Free ECD education in Zimbabwe is achievable because we can see the positive steps that have been taken by government . . . to provide free basic State-funded education and compulsory free education starting from kindergarten which is ECD.

“It is already in the pipeline and according to the Education Amendment Act 2020, which speaks to the provision of free compulsory education. We are carrying out a lot of studies to ensure that the achievements we want as a country will be realised,” he said.

The government has resolved to adopt the policy of providing universal, free, and compulsory basic education starting next year.

Moyo was speaking at SADC Parliamentary Forum in Harare this Tuesday where members stressed the need to guarantee access to education at the earliest stage of childhood development.

The major focus was on increasing accessibility and affordability at the Early Childhood Development (ECD) stage.

“We have some of the MPs from Sadc member states meeting here and this is critical in making sure that the government finances education. This will relieve poorer families so that education is much more affordable and accessible for all. We think it is important for our MPs to be well capacitated so that they infuse issues of concern into their parliamentary work,” said SADC Parliamentary Forum representative Mammehela Matamane.

As Early Childhood Development Education is the foundation in all formal learning, parliamentarians believe ECD should be accessible to all children.

“ECD should be prioritised by all governments in Sadc. We want parliamentarians to reinforce the financing of education in the case of ECD and find local means of revenue collection which relieves the burden from communities, to more of the state,” said Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development Actors (ZINECDA) national coordinator Naison Bhunhu.