-
Learners in Zimbabwe Might Soon Get Their Own Textbooks
Zimbabwe’s education system was once a model for sub-Saharan Africa. The economic and political crises of the past decade, including an almost year-long strike by teachers in 2008 led to a dramatic decline in the standard of education in the country and the near total collapse of the system. This coupled with the rising costs of keeping teachers in schools, uniforms and other school materials have meant that it has become very difficult for parents to afford to buy their children textbooks. As a result, most learners share textbooks. This may soon come to an end thanks to UNICEF. Read more here.In January 2010 the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture put the ratio of text books to pupils at about one to 10, but teachers in the capital, Harare, have reported instances of 40 pupils sharing one text book at some schools.
However, juggling textbooks and homework might soon come to an end. UNICEF has provided over US$50 million, with which David Coltart, the Education, Sport and Culture Minister, said his ministry aimed to improve the pupil-textbook ratio to 1:1 by the end of the year.









