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State
of education in Zimbabwe 2009 report - Inside the Pandora
box
Students Solidarity Trust
May 19, 2010
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Introduction
"Education is both
a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realizing
other human rights. Education is the primary vehicle by which economically
and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves
out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in their
communities. Education has a vital role in empowering women, safeguarding
children from exploitative and hazardous labor and sexual exploitation,
promoting human rights and democracy, protecting environment, and
controlling population growth. Increasingly, education is recognized
as one of the best financial investments States can make. But the
importance of education is not just practical: a well-educated,
enlightened and active mind, able to wander freely and widely, is
one of the joys and rewards of human existence."
The report "State
of the Education Sector Report in Zimbabwe 2009: Inside the Pandora's
Box" embarks on an investigation of the trajectory and kaleidoscopic
state of affairs in the education sector. The report focuses on
the year 2009 which marked a slow and frustrating recuperation from
the 2008 lost and wasted academic year (less than two months of
learning occurred in universities and not more than 30 days of learning
took place in schools) characterized by drop outs of one in every
five, March 2008 and June 2008 election inspired forced closures
of universities, strikes by teachers, lecturers and non-academic
staff, skyrocketing inflation and a plethora of 'failed state' related
reasons. The report is biased towards rights violations in the education
sector and the plight of the marginalized students: the female and
disabled university students.
The report serves as
SST's major annual evaluation of the performance of the actors in
the education sector in the year 2009 including chapters with empirical
statistical and graphical evidence and a chapter documenting rights
violations and names of survivors of human rights abuses. Recommendations
derived from students across the country, civil society stakeholders
and SST directed to the state and other actors are also part of
this report.
Education contributes
to political development by creating an informed and participant
citizenry and to socio-economic development by equipping people
for new roles associated with an expanding range of occupations.
Article 26 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR) states that:
"Everyone
has a right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the
elementary stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory: education
shall be directed to the full development of human personality and
to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms''.
Education should
promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among racial or
religious groups, yet this was not the case in the year 2009 in
Zimbabwe. Once the glory and pride of African continent, Zimbabwe's
education sector is now a shadow of its former self and has turned
to be a preserve of the elite, increasingly marginalizing the poor.
The Report unpacks and uses (ICESCR) preconditions for the provision
of all types and levels of education, which are; availability, accessibility,
acceptability and adaptability as yard sticks to measure the performance
of the education sector in Zimbabwe. The report also assesses the
performance of the education sector against other provisions of
international conventions and covenants on education.
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