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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
The United Kingdom’s Department of International Development (DFID) has approved $37 million funding to support the country’s education sector. DFID confirmed the development in a statement yesterday. The money would be channelled through UNICEF. “The funds will allow the progress made under the Education Development Fund (EDF) to continue. This includes the School Improvement Grants programme, which will focus on providing quality schooling for children in disadvantaged schools in rural areas.

“This will be delivered through the UK’s trusted partner Unicef and activities will be closely aligned to the priorities of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” read the statement by Head of DFID Zimbabwe Annabel Gerry.

“This additional funding for the education sector in Zimbabwe demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to ensuring access to quality schooling for all children. Through the School Improvements programme, up to 4 million pupils will benefit from improved lessons and teaching, helping to path the way to a bright future for Zimbabwe’s young people.”

Reza Hossaini, Unicef Representative said: “As the latest improvements in learning outcomes and pass rates show, the contributions made by DFID and other development partners to education over the last 5 years, as well as resources from the Government, are beginning to bear fruit.”

“The challenge facing Zimbabwe at this critical juncture is to build on these gains by allocating more national resources to the sector, beyond just wages. It is the only guarantee for sustained improvements in the sector.”

The EDF seeks to improve education in the country through better planning, strengthening school monitoring and supervision, improving the quality of teaching and learning and reviewing the curriculum.

The funding is expected to go a long way in improving the country’s education sector which is faced with a number of challenges related to the obtaining liquidity crunch.