Minister's claim of 600 new schools sparks outcry

Published: 2 hours ago

Education Minister Torerayi Moyo has come under fire after telling Parliament that Zimbabwe has built more than 600 schools since 2022, despite a government freeze on teacher recruitment that has left thousands of qualified educators unemployed.

Responding to questions in the National Assembly last Wednesday, Moyo said a 2022 study identified a deficit of 3,000 schools nationwide, a gap he insisted was steadily being closed. He told MPs that since 2022, more than 600 schools had been built and that the government was targeting at least 200 more by the end of 2025.

Pressed to explain the figures, Moyo clarified that he was including not only government projects but also schools constructed by churches, corporates, NGOs and even individual ministers. He pointed to recent contributions by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which he said had built seven schools this year, and the Johane Marange Apostolic Church, which was reportedly constructing more than eight. He also cited 25 schools financed by the National Building Society, a pledged US$20 million grant from the OPEC Fund for International Development, and assistance from foreign partners such as Algeria.

Moyo argued that his ministry's performance was judged primarily on infrastructure delivery and said he expected the 200-schools target for this year to be achieved.

His bold claims, however, have been greeted with disbelief by educators' unions. Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Raymond Majongwe challenged the minister to produce evidence, saying he should be able to show at least five of the schools by name and location. Majongwe contrasted Moyo's statement with that of the finance minister, who had previously said government efforts were focused on just three schools.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure was even more scathing, describing the minister as "a bad liar" and arguing that Zimbabwe still needed at least 3,000 additional schools. He accused government of inflating numbers for political gain and urged it instead to establish an education equalisation fund, financed partly through mineral wealth, to fund construction and rehabilitation. Masaraure also called for land to be allocated to private players to support the development of low-cost schools.

Critics argue that even if Moyo's figures are correct, the freeze on teacher recruitment undermines any progress. Thousands of trained educators remain unemployed while classrooms are overcrowded and learning quality continues to decline. Observers warn that without addressing staffing shortages, claims of mass school construction will be seen as little more than inflated statistics designed for political optics rather than meaningful investment in education.
- Zimlive

Tags: Schools,