Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) is responsible for financing primary, secondary and non-formal education. The structure of MoPSE comprises the Head Office in Harare, decentralised Provincial Education Offices (PEOs) headed by Provincial Education Directors (PEDs) in each of the 10 provinces, and District Education Offices (DEOs) in each of the 72 education districts, which supervise primary and secondary schools in their respective districts.
Most education financing comes from domestic sources, with only a small portion from external aid. Although the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is meant to fund salaries, operational costs, capital projects, and transfers to lower levels, the majority of its budget goes to salaries. Households bear a significant share of day-to-day school costs, including uniforms, materials, feeding, and transport.
The 2019-30 School Financing Policy aims to improve the efficiency and fairness of education funding, aiming for fully state-funded basic education by 2030, with sufficient, equitable financing and effective use of resources at all levels. From January 2023, the government committed to providing free basic education in all public schools; but continues to face challenges in the budget execution rate.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) budgets for transfers to education provinces, typically calculated on a per-student basis.
2. Education resources to schools
Capital Funding for Schools
Schools receive funding for capital improvements primarily through building grants and school improvement grants. School Improvement Grants (SIG), externally funded and implemented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) since 2013, support financially constrained primary and secondary schools, as well as schools for children with special needs. Building grants are capital transfers from the central government budget for school improvement projects. Allocation criteria for School Improvement Grants include school income, grant category, and distance from the district office. Primary schools may receive up to USD 3,000, while satellite secondary schools can receive up to USD 4,000. The funds are intended to cover non-personnel and non-capital resource needs, enabling schools to meet their essential requirements.
Tuition Grants to Schools
Primary and secondary schools receive grants designed to address, where possible, inequalities in the financial resources of the authorities responsible for the schools. These grants have been provided since before 2015, prior to the SDG period. Schools are categorised by geographical location: P1, P2, and P3 for primary schools, and S1, S2, and S3 for secondary schools. Category 1 schools are located in affluent, low-density urban areas; Category 2 in high-density urban areas; and Category 3 in rural areas. The most disadvantaged schools, typically in rural areas, receive the greatest level of support, while Category 1 schools receive the least.
Public Examination Subsidies
Since 2017, the government has provided subsidies to reduce the financial burden of public examinations, covering costs such as administration, marking, and processing of Grade 7 Ordinary and Advanced Level exams in public schools. The subsidy accounts for 55 per cent of examination costs, with parents responsible for the remaining 45 per cent. This support aims to improve access to education for students who might otherwise be unable to afford exam fees.
Sanitary Materials for Girls
Under the 2020 Education Amendment Act, the government is legally required to provide free sanitary wear to all schoolgirls. Since 2020, it has been procuring and distributing sanitary materials to public schools, particularly in rural areas, to support adolescent girls who may miss school due to period poverty. However, due to procurement and distribution challenges, the government has collaborated with some NGOs on distribution.
3. Education resources to students and families
Scholarships
In the past, the government provided scholarships for disadvantaged students in Forms 1 to 6. In 2011, these scholarships were awarded to students with strong academic performance whose parents or guardians were from low-income backgrounds, who were day scholars, and who consistently demonstrated good behaviour and conduct.
There is no government funding for scholarships at the primary or secondary level. Currently, merit-based scholarships are offered at the higher education level to support disadvantaged students, particularly those from rural areas, in accessing tertiary education. These tertiary education scholarships cover a range of fields, including health sciences, engineering, agriculture, sports science, and social sciences.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare (MoPSLSW) is responsible for coordinating and implementing most social assistance programmes in the country.
Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM)
The Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) is a national school fees assistance programme launched by the government of Zimbabwe in 2001 and administered, funded, and implemented by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare (MoPSLSW), in collaboration with the MoPSE. It aims to help orphans and vulnerable children aged 6–19 years access education. BEAM operates in all districts, both rural and urban, targeting children who are in school but unable to pay fees, those who have dropped out, and children who have never attended school. Support is primarily provided through payment of tuition fees for primary and secondary education, secondary examination fees, building funds, and school levies, excluding uniforms. Beneficiary selection considers factors such as children who have never attended or have dropped out due to economic reasons, disability, prior record of unpaid fees, employment and health status of the household head, orphaned status, and household assets. The selection of beneficiaries is done at the community level.
The launch of BEAM was in line with the government’s commitment to education as a human right as stipulated in such frameworks as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the 2020 Education Amendment Act.
5. School meal programmes
Home-Grown School Feeding Programme
The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, led and funded by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education since 2016, aims to provide one hot, balanced meal each school day for vulnerable children, following national nutritional guidelines. Although designed for all public school children, the programme currently provides meals mainly in severely food-insecure and disadvantaged areas. Development partners continue to support government efforts, especially in the most vulnerable communities in rural areas, while parents have also been critical to the funding of the programme.
This profile has been reviewed by Dr. Moses Chundu and Associate Professor Oswell Hapanyengwi.
