Accelerating Expansion of Access to Secondary

Education

1980 - 1990 Experience in Zimbabwe

1. Inherited Situation

2 education systems35% at primary, 4% at secondary, 0.1%

tertiaryTotal 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

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

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

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

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

3.3 Innovative Curriculum Development5 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 compulsoryGenerally students do 7 subjects

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

3.4 Quality and Availability of TeachersTeachers’ AssociationsAvailability of qualified teachersTeacher education

ZINTEC and Zintecisation of system Technical teacher training

Gender Gap amongst sec teachers

4.2 Involvement of Parents and CommunityDecentralization of funds through District

Councils or through School Development Committees?

Appointment and promotion of teachers - disastrous decentralization

Abuse of per capita grantsNeed for a clear time frame and gradual

approach to decentralization of functions

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

4.4 Politicians and Parliament

New legislation passed enthusiasticallyPoliticians not allowed to site and establish

schools

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 schoolsAll except last group received grants and

subsidies.

4.6 Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with ProductionAchievements 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

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

1980/81 1985/86 1990/91

Ed Budget 339.715 396.480 581.265

Index of Increase 100 117 171

Ed Budget as % of Total

22.3 21.8 22.4

Sec Budget as % of Ed Budget

16.1 12.7 29.5

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

1980 1985 1990

Unit cost in US$s 735.83 104.35 257.82

Index of Increase 100 14 35

Table 3. Number of Sec Schools and Sec Enrolments

1980 1985 1990

Number of schools

197 1215 1512

Enrolment 74 321 482 000 665 791

Index of enrolment increase

100 649 896

Table 4. Increase in 6th Form Enrolment

1980 1985 1990

Number of students 1 930 5 423 8 273

Index of increase 100 281 429

6.3 Gender Gap at Secondary

Girls 40% up to “O” levelsGirls 33% at “A” levels

Table 5. “O” levels Number and % passing 5 or more subjects at Grade C and aboveYear No

Candidates

Index No Passed

Index Increase

% Pass

1980 7 818 100 1 460 100 18.7

1990 194 654 24 898 25 651 17 569 13.2

Table 6. “O” Level Passes 1985 and 1990

1985 No. 1985 % 1990 No. 1990 %

Passed 5 14 762 13.1 25 651 13.2

Passed 3 28 591 25.3 46 874 24.1

Passed 1 65 904 58.4 116 180 59.7

Failed all 46 979 41.6 78 474 40.3

Total 112 881 100.0 194 654 100.0

Table 7a. Academic “O” Results by Subject 1990Subject No

Candidates% Grade C & above

i. English Language 163 586 18.5

ii. English Lit 48 070 44.3

iii. History 58 092 32.3

iv. Geography 119 204 27.9

v. Shona & Ndebele 115 405 61.1

vi. Mathematics 87 946 23.4

vii. Core Science 127 566 24.8

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

Subject No.

Candidates

% Grade C

viii. Agriculture 45 766 51.8

ix. Woodwork 6 215 63.7

x. Fashion & Fabrics 11 935 36.7

xi. Commerce 44 866 34.0

xii. Principles of Accounts 22 015 42.8

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

Subject No Urban Passes

% Urban Passes

No. Rural Passes

% Rural Passes

i. Eng Lang 11 210 25.9 12 386 15.0

ii. Eng Lit 4 838 46.8 5 753 43.1

iii. History 5 045 25.4 12 699 37.9

iv. Geography 10 102 29.5 20 750 28.6

v. Shona/Nde. 19 140 58.6 48 330 63.0

vi. Maths 6 046 19.0 12 707 27.4

vii. Core Sci. 9 536 24.9 20 415 26.1

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

Subject No. Candi-dates

% Urban Candi.

No. Rural Candi.

% Rural Candi.

viii. Agriculture 2 166 44.3 21 479 52.7

ix. Woodwork 2 701 63.5 1 238 64.0

x.Fashion/Fab

1 932 36.7 2 374 36.2

xi. Commerce 4 479 31.7 7 296 34.2

xii. Principles of Accounts

4 324 38.2 3 439 50.0

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

candi.Index in-crease

No. passed 2 subjects

Index Increase

% Pass

1980 1 146 100 577 100 46.0

1990 14 722 12 846 9 984 18 945 67.8

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 WestMore aware of human rightsTechnological jump from peasant based

technology to modern technology

Lessons Learnt: Negative Impacts

Higher aspirations and expectationsExodus of 2 million plus young peopleEconomic development not commensurate

with educational developmentZimbabwe clung to the Cambridge exam

system, rejecting closer links with economic productivity