The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has raised concerns over the poor state of some schools across the country, highlighting the urgent need for infrastructural improvements.
Director of Communications and Advocacy , Taungana Ndoro, stated that the government is calling for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to help upgrade school facilities and create a better learning environment for students.
Ndoro also emphasized the government’s commitment to reducing the long distances children have to walk to school by ensuring that more schools are built closer to communities. This initiative is aimed at improving access to education, particularly in rural areas where students often travel several kilometers to attend classes.
Zimbabwe’s education system consists of seven years of primary school and six years of secondary education, which is divided into lower secondary (Forms I-IV) and upper secondary (Forms V-VI). By 2021, the country had 3,066 secondary schools, including 61 boarding schools, reflecting an increase from 2,830 in 2017. In the same period, 236 new secondary schools were built. The number of primary schools also grew significantly, rising from 6,123 in 2017 to 7,081 in 2021, with 7,057 offering Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities.
Overall, 958 new primary schools were constructed between 2017 and 2021, bringing the total number of schools (both primary and secondary) to 10,147. Most primary schools (76%) are owned by rural district councils, while the remainder are under church organizations and government administration.
