Campaign for Female Education is the DFID implementing partner. Each girl receives a bursary that covers a package of benefits including uniforms, stationery, school fees and examination fees.
The programme also provides a package of support to schools, including training of mentors who provide support to teachers, training of School Development Committees and mobilisation of parental engagement in the work of the school.
“Education is vital to beating poverty and our education programme in Zimbabwe gives more children, especially girls from the poorest families, a better start in life by gaining a quality education,” said Annabel Gerry, head of DFID Zimbabwe.
Since 2010, DFID Zimbabwe has helped 37,000 children to complete primary education. The UK says it remains committed to supporting education in Zimbabwe.
Stable and prosperous
One of DFID’s goals is to deliver a more democratic, stable and prosperous Zimbabwe by focusing on helping the poorest people. It prioritises infrastructure, assets, finance, skills and access to markets to help people to earn enough money to meet their basic needs. It also works to improve access to health, water and sanitation and education.
As the largest donor to the multi-donor Education Development Fund (EDF), DFID is providing $36 million out of a total budget of $84 million from 2011-2015. The Fund, managed by UNICEF, aims to enhance student access retention and achievement, with special attention to the needs of girls and
vulnerable children as well as provision of Second Chance Education (SCE) formal schooling for young people.
Some 29,000 children aged 9-18 who dropped out of primary school are provided with school fees and other requirements under the fund. In addition, more than 28,000 children, of whom some 13,000 were girls, have been assisted to complete primary education under the Zimbabwe Accelerated Learning Programme.
Since 2011 about 6,500 education managers and 5,000 early childhood development para-professionals have been trained with DFID funding, while a school improvement grant has benefited 5,000 schools and science kits distributed to all secondary schools. The department has also helped in a nationwide early learning assessment programme and participated in the de-worming of over two million rural children.
Post published in: Education