Revolutionizing Zimbabwe's Education System: DZT P...

Revolutionizing Zimbabwe's Education System: DZT Pleads for Inclusive Learning

Michael Mashiri

Deaf Zimbabwe Trust has requested that quality education be delivered at all levels in Zimbabwe for learners with disabilities.

In a recent press statement, DZT said it was difficult for children with disabilities to advance their education, hence a need for change.

"As the year is coming to an end, DZT is reflecting on the fate of learners with disabilities who should transition from primary school to secondary school.

"Zimbabwe has an acute shortage of resource units in secondary school and over 80 per cent of primary school graduates are lost in transition to secondary school," they said.

They said according to 2019 statistics, a total of 85 560 students with disabilities were enrolled and of these, 73.2% in primary school and 18.1% in secondary school.

They added that the consequences of not advancing was also a because of poverty on the part of people with disabilities.

"Where are the ones that drop out at Grade 7, why are leaners with disabilities not proceeding to secondary school?

"The ramifications for not proceeding to secondary school affects access to higher education, livelihoods and poverty become the reality of young people with disabilities," they said.

DTZ said in efforts to help young people with disabilities, they were going to start a drive for young children to continue with their education as it is due to them. It will be running under the theme #moreresourceunits.

"To ensure that learners with disabilities are not lost in transition as the year comes to an end, DZT is starting a campaign secondary education for learners with disabilities a human right.

"This campaign seeks to call on parents to en-gage with their school authorities at the local level, district, provincial and national levels for more resource units to be established in secondary schools," they said.

They made it clear that schools were not baby-sitting places for students with disabilities for them to grow and be thrown into the streets, but places where they can be educated.

"Quality education should be delivered at all levels in Zimbabwe for learners with disabilities.

"DZT calls on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to implement the progressive provisions in the Education Amendment Act of 2020," they added.

DZT is an organisation that is there to push forward the rights and interests of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Zimbabwe.