CWT Director, Lasford Flackson, told The Zimbabwean that funding distribution was limited to old non-governmental organisations that were not transparent and had a tendency to neglect remote areas.
“The government is doing very little to ensure that vulnerable children have access to education. The NGOs involved neglect areas that seem inaccessible and some children are left out,” Flackson said “Education in Zimbabwe is still restricted amongst children from low socio-economic backgrounds, farming areas and remote areas.”
Flackson said government programmes aimed at uplifting the education sector lacked implementation.
“Some government programmes such as the Performance Lag Address Programme, have tremendous weaknesses. There is no follow up and it will vanish just like any other government-implemented programme. This affects children in the remote areas,” he said.
PLAP submits pupils to a diagnostic examination to establish their “last point of mastery” then helps them catch up to where they should be. The programme involves revisiting the syllabus and targeting concepts that have proven persistently difficult for neglected pupils to catch up on.
Flackson told The Zimbabwean that the Basic Education Assistance Module should assist more disadvantaged children in Zimbabwe. However, in the 2013 budget $15 million was allocated towards the BEAM program against an ideal requirement of $30 million.
“Our funding is very scarce with the always increasing number of suffering children. It’s a disaster. We are in the process of creating a documentary that shows how children are living in this country,” Flackson added.
He said many orphans had become victims of stigmatisation and abuse.
“Children are facing a number of problems including abuse, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and poverty. The environment for learning is not favourable at all for children,” he said.
Formed in 2011, CWT has been providing life skills and means of sustenance to marginalized and less privileged children.
“We represent the interests of the identified children in matters relating to their protection, education, advancement and wellbeing,” he said.
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