BY STAFF REPORTER
The National Education Summit Zimbabwe (NESZ) is set to expand beyond the country's borders after delegates at the 2026 summit endorsed plans to transform the platform into a regional education dialogue forum serving the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and, eventually, the wider African continent.
Convened by Action for Empowerment Zimbabwe (AEZ), in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and other strategic stakeholders, the NESZ brought together policymakers, education leaders, development partners, academics, private sector representatives, civil society organisations and practitioners to deliberate on practical strategies for strengthening Zimbabwe's education system under the theme, "From Policy to Practice: Driving Innovation and Investment in Zimbabwe's Education System."
The regional expansion emerged as one of the most significant outcomes contained in the Fourth NESZ communiqué and the Bulawayo Resolution adopted at the summit, which was held in Bulawayo from May 27 to 29.
According to the communiqué, delegates recognised “the growing importance of regional collaboration in addressing shared educational challenges and advancing innovation across Africa's education sector.”
The communiqué also stated that delegates "endorsed the vision of Action for Empowerment Zimbabwe (AEZ), the founding convener of the National Education Summit Zimbabwe, to progressively expand the summit into a regional education dialogue platform that promotes policy exchange, research collaboration, knowledge sharing, and partnerships among education stakeholders across the Sadc region and the African continent."
The development marks a major milestone for a summit that has steadily grown in stature since its inception.
Held on a rotational basis to promote national inclusivity, the summit has previously been hosted in Masvingo and Harare before moving to Bulawayo this year.
Delegates also confirmed that Manicaland Province will host the Fifth National Education Summit Zimbabwe in May 2027.
The decision reflects what organisers described as the continued institutionalisation of the summit as a national platform for education dialogue while broadening stakeholder participation across all provinces.
The communiqué noted that the move to Manicaland reinforces “the commitment to decentralising engagement and broadening stakeholder participation across all provinces.”
Beyond the regional expansion agenda, the summit produced a wide-ranging set of resolutions aimed at accelerating education transformation in Zimbabwe.
Among the key outcomes was the endorsement of a comprehensive Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Framework for educators, designed to strengthen teacher welfare, career progression, professional excellence and the adoption of emerging technologies in education.
Delegates also called for stronger implementation mechanisms to translate education policies into measurable outcomes at school level, improved governance and accountability systems, increased investment in inclusive education, and expanded support for learner wellbeing.
AEZ president Alson Darikayi said the organisation was committed to ensuring that the resolutions and recommendations adopted at the summit are translated into meaningful action.
“We will do our best to ensure the implementation of the resolutions and outcomes agreed upon during the summit,” Darikayi said.
“The real measure of success is not in the discussions alone, but in the practical changes that improve the quality of education and opportunities available to learners across Zimbabwe.”
With Manicaland now preparing to host the next summit in 2027, attention is expected to shift towards implementing the Bulawayo resolutions while laying the foundation for NESZ's evolution into a recognised regional platform for educational innovation, policy dialogue and investment across southern Africa and beyond.