Accelerating Expansion of Access to Secondary Education

1. Accelerating Expansion of Access to Secondary Education 1980 - 1990 Experience in Zimbabwe

2. 1. Inherited Situation • 2 education systems • 35% at primary, 4% at secondary, 0.1% tertiary • Total of 80 000 with secondary education and 4 000 with university education out of population of 7.5 million • 2 economic systems, formal for small percentage and traditional subsitence for the majority

3. 2. Review of Macro Policy Framework • Education as main tool for political, social and economic development • Local community and parental participation in school provision • Reduction of unit costs • Free and compulsory primary education • Affordable secondary education • Secondary education to be terminal for majority • Curriculum to be reviewed rather than for preparation to live in Britain or to be ruling class

4. 3.1 Innovative Policy Implementation • Planning and school registration process • Government sec school in each district • “Private” schools 93.8% of primary and 87.3% of secondary schools • Day schools rather than boarding schools • Planning department expanded • School mapping with IIEP • Open access to “O” levels, selection for “A” levels

5. 3.2 School Construction • Parents’ responsibilities: • Build actual school • Ensure children attend school • Pay fees as agreed by parents and kept by parents • Government responsibilities: • Provide plan and technical support • Provide subsidy • Pay teachers and per capita grant • Provide some free materials • Train teachers and school heads

6. 3.2 Construction 2 • Labour only contracts for small scale builders • Tax rebates and subsidies for commercial farmers, commerce and industry for school construction • School location systematized

7. 3.3 Innovative Curriculum Development • 5 subject groups at sec - Need to select at least 1 or 2 subjects from each group: • Languages - English and 1 main African Language compulsory • Sciences - Core Science is compulsory • Mathematics • Human and Social Sciences • Practical, Technical, Business and Commercial Subjects: 2 compulsory Generally students do 7 subjects

8. 3.3.1 Innovative approaches • Use of distance education methodologies • ZimSci kits • Practical subject kits • National Foundation Courses • Changes in Social Studies • HIV/AIDS education • Free textbooks • MOE collaboration with pvt sector publishers • Tree planting and tree care

9. 3.4 Quality and Availability of Teachers • Teachers’ Associations • Availability of qualified teachers • Teacher education • ZINTEC and Zintecisation of system • Technical teacher training • Gender Gap amongst sec teachers

10. 4.2 Involvement of Parents and Community • Decentralization of funds through District Councils or through School Development Committees? • Appointment and promotion of teachers - disastrous decentralization • Abuse of per capita grants • Need for a clear time frame and gradual approach to decentralization of functions

11. 4.3 The White Minority • Sale of “white” state schools to parents rescinded • Allowed strong parental participation in school governance, including parental “levies” to overcome new teacher pupil ratios • Allowed establishment of new “private” schools by white farmers

12. 4.4 Politicians and Parliament • New legislation passed enthusiastically • Politicians not allowed to site and establish schools

13. 4.5 Private Sector Participation • 6 different types of private sector participation: • Distict Council and Community owned schools • “Elite” or Independent schools • Farm and mine schools • Mission and other church schools • ZIMFEP schools • Profit making schools All except last group received grants and subsidies.

14. 4.6 Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production • Achievements include: • Schools constructed by students and communities • Educated 15 000 war veterans and former refugees • Self-sufficiency • Theatre and culture • New syllabuses and textbooks • Education and employment creation

15. 5. Impact of Reforms on Expenditure in US$s - Table 1

16. Table 2. Unit Cost of Sec Education in US$s

17. Table 3. Number of Sec Schools and Sec Enrolments

18. Table 4. Increase in 6th Form Enrolment

19. 6.3 Gender Gap at Secondary • Girls 40% up to “O” levels • Girls 33% at “A” levels

20. Table 5. “O” levels Number and % passing 5 or more subjects at Grade C and above

21. Table 6. “O” Level Passes 1985 and 1990

22. Table 7a. Academic “O” Results by Subject 1990

23. Table 7b. Practical Subjects “O” Levels Results 1990

24. Table 8a. Urban cf. Rural “O” Levels Academic Subject Results 1990

25. Table 8b. Urban cf. Rural “O” Levels Practical Subject Results 1990

26. Table 9. “A” Levels - No. & % with 2 or more Subjects at E or better

27. 9. Lessons Learnt: Positive Impact • High quality sec education for majority possible in cost effective ways • Education map changed within 1 generation • Population growth similar to West • More aware of human rights • Technological jump from peasant based technology to modern technology

28. Lessons Learnt: Negative Impacts • Higher aspirations and expectations • Exodus of 2 million plus young people • Economic development not commensurate with educational development • Zimbabwe clung to the Cambridge exam system, rejecting closer links with economic productivity