In an exclusive interview, Prof. Makumbe, said the consequences of the collapse of Zimbabwe’s formerly acclaimed education sector would return to haunt the country in years to come.
This is the view of not only socio-political commentator Prof Makumba, but also many other analysts.
The Makumbe blamed the current regime saying it had "killed" a generation, youngsters dropping out of schools in droves, teachers fleeing the country and scores of schools closing in recent years.
Makumbe said the current generation that had been denied proper education could find themselves unemployable in future when the country pulled itself out of its current political and economic quagmire, and perhaps engage in criminal activity.
"Zimbabwe will have a high price to pay for the school dropouts. The denial of schooling to these youngsters is a destruction of an entire generation," he said citing the example of South Africa when schools were closed down from 1976 at the height of apartheid.
South Africa’s current crime woes have a root in the 1976 uprising by students. Most of the then-youngsters did not return to school and now find themselves unemployable
Zimbabwe is currently experiencing a collapse of major sectors among them education, which has been eroded by a combination of factors.
Youngsters have dropped out of schools in numbers, some fleeing to neighbouring countries Most of these youngsters have resurfaced in South Africa raising concern among analysts."It is quite unfortunate," said analyst Collin Ncube.
On the other hand teachers, whose meagre salaries are ever eroded by inflation, have also fled in numbers to neighbouring countries.
Makumbe summed up the drawback. "Imagine, I am a professor at the University of Zimbabwe but I earn no more than R100. At that salary, I am among the highest paid professionals in the higher education sector."
In face of all these developments, many schools have been forced to shut down as they cannot attract sufficient teachers and students. The fact that unemployment was ever on the increase had compounded the situation, Ncube added
Zimbabwe has one of the highest unemployment figures in the world, at more than 80 percent, a development that has been fuelled by the collapse of the formerly vibrant economy.
"Going to school has virtually become useless. The graduates that schools and universities churn out every year join the ranks of the unemployed. Sending a child to school now appears to be a waste of hard-to-find money," Ncube said.
The collapse of Zimbabwe’s education sector has been nothing short of spectacular.
At independence, the country’s education sector was among the most acclaimed in the Third World, churning out highly-skilled graduates who weregreatly sought after. Most of these have fled their country and developing foreign economies.
As the political and economic woes worsen by the day, education has been greatly affected, with uncertainty surrounding the writing of O’ Level and A’Level examinations.
—CAJ News.
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