Education, Sports, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart has accused the government of underfunding the education sector and causing unemployed youths to fall prey to gullible politicians who use them as pawns during election campaigns.
Coltart told NewsDay over the weekend government was paying $5 per child annually in education, a situation that contributes to the high school dropouts.
“We were once a beacon of African education,” said Coltart.
“Indeed it is tragic that today, we have but $5 to spend on every child’s education in Zimbabwe for the entire year and have received in total only $1 million of support from the United States.
“Increasing dropout rates, throughout the nation, perpetuate crime and amplify political strife.” He added: “The truth is simply that if you invest in education, invest in health, you invest in human potential, you indeed set the stage for economic capital. If we do so, Zimbabwe will bloom again.”
Coltart said partners and sponsors were playing a pivotal role in enhancing education in the country and there was need to invite them to see the changes that had been accomplished as well as addressing challenges the country was facing.
“However, although the Zimbabwean mining sector is expected to grow by 44% this year alone, buoyed by an increase in platinum, diamond, coal and ferrochrome output, Western political capital and investment across the board has been notably low,” he said.
