EDUCATION COALITION OF

ZIMBABWE (ECOZI)
241 Curriculum Development Unit, Upper East Rd, P.O.
Box MP 813
Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
ecozim@gmail.com
Tel:

+263 4 333737
+263 772 902 370
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Education View
Mirror
2016
Inside This Issue:
Message from the National Coordinator
Page 2

Global Action Week Commemorations 2016

Page 3
Project National Inception Workshop

Page 4

National Capacity Building of CSOS on Advocacy,

Monitoring and Evaluation
Page 5
Members News briefs and articles
ECOZI Membership
Page 8

Page 6 & 7

Page 2

Education View Mirror 2016

FROM NATIONAL
COORDINATORS DESK

Dear Reader
It is my pleasure once again to welcome you to this first edition of the ECOZI Newsletter 2016. This edition is coming at
the backdrop of tremendous achievements in both the coalition growth and the programmatic areas.

As ECOZI we continue to engage with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education at the Education Coordinating
Group which is at the highest level as chaired by the Minister. The coalition has also engaged about 55 district education
offices through its list of membership in the development of the District Operational Plans. Subsequently the coalition has
engaged 25 districts in the monitoring of these DOPs. This has created great opportunity for the coalition to identify gaps
and also to spread tentacles of advocacy to grass roots structures.
It is also important to note that the year 2016 is an election year in which a new board is expected to come in place. The
coalition therefore awaits with much anticipation the Annual General meeting. With a membership that has grown to 41
members which is a major milestone in terms of coalition growth.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you reader, for being part of the education journey and support for ECOZI.
We want to continue to remain in the trenches with our arsenal loaded to ensure that there is access to free inclusive,
quality and lifelong education for all as espoused by the Sustainable Goal 4.

Maxwell Rafomoyo
NATIONAL COORDINATOR

Education View Mirror 2016

Page 3

GLOBAL ACTION
WEEK 2016
Global Action Week is one of the major
focal points for the education movement
since the 2000 Dakar World Education
Forum. Created and led by Global
Campaign for Education, Global Action
Week provides everyone for the right to
education with an opportunity to highlight
the Education for All agenda and advocate
for the governments to promote access to
quality inclusive education for all.
Globally,
2016
GAWE
was
commemorated
from
24-30
April;
however Zimbabwe conducted belated
commemorations considering that the
global dates fell on a school holidays.
ECOZI, civil society organisations,
Teacher Unions, children, Government of
Zimbabwe and the corporate world joined
hands in commemorating the Global
Action Week for Education in Gwanda,
the provincial capital of Matabeleland
Province on 27 May 2016 at Gwanda
Country Club.

The GAWE 2016 was under the theme:

Fund the Future: Education Rights
now. The campaign highlighted the
importance of increasing education
financing to promote development of
children to their full potential for the
attainment of national and international
development. It stressed the importance of

education financing in attaining all other

SDGs. The Guest of Honour for the 2016
GAWE commemoration was Honourable
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko who,
was represented by Director in the Vice
Presidents office Dr.T.P Ndlovu. The
programme started with the assembling of
CSOs, government officials, school
children and other invited guests at
Matabeleland South Provincial Education
Offices where the march began going to
Gwanda District Club. The Minister of
Primary and Secondary Education Dr
L.D.K Dokora, Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education-Dr S. J Masango, UNESCO,
school children, ECOZI and several senior
government officials were part of the
delegates. The Minister of State for
Provincial Affairs Abedinco Ncube also
graced the occasion
The 2016 GAWE created an interface for
the stakeholders in education to advocate
for
increased
education
financing.
Education financing was considered to
very crucial for the promotion of quality
and inclusive education for all. The
attainment of the SDG4 and Education
2030 Agenda is hinged upon the
governments commitment to increased
education financing.

Education View Mirror 2016

Page 4

PROJECT NATIONAL
INCEPTION WORK SHOP
Zimbabwe Civil Society and grassroots
participation in Education Sector Strategic
Plan and Global Partnership for Education
grant monitoring.

With the support from German Backup

Initiative-Education in Africa (GIZ), the
Education
coalition
of
Zimbabwe
conducted a two day national project
incept ion workshop in Kadoma from 1920 May 2016.All the 10 provincial
chapters were represented by civil society
organisations,non-governmental
organisations and teacher unions working
in the education sector.The objective of the
workshop was to sensitise stakeholders on
the new project, the Ministry of Primary
and Secondary Education (MoPSE)
Education Sector Strategic Plan and the
Global Partnership for Education grant
awarded to MoPSE to enable effective
civil society and grassroots participation
during the implementation process.
Results Achieved from the Inception
Workshop

ECOZI members and other

partners working in education
were successfuly sensitised on

the project (CSO and grassroots

participation in ESSP and GPE
grant monitoring), 2016-2020
Education Sector Strategic Plan
including the priority pillars
and the GPE grant include its
focus
areas.
Stakeholders
gained some understanding and
the importance of their
participation in the project.

Group work in progress

Advoacy strategies to be
adopted by the coalition were
defined
by
the
entire
membership with consensus.
Clear roadmap on project
implementation was agreed.
This include defining the roles
and responsibilities of all
stakeholders in their respective
provinces.
The
role
of
Provincial Chapters and all the
grassroots
members
were
clearely outlined to promote the
attainment of the project goal.
All ECOZI members upto
grassroots
level
were
capacitated on advocacy for
them to be able to
bring
unaddressed issues to the
public attention, in protecting
basic inalienable right to
education.

Page 5

Education View Mirror 2016

NATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING

OF CSOS ON ADVOCACY,
MONITORING AND EVALUATION

i.

Group work during development of a monitoring tool

Zimbabwe Civil Society and grassroots

participation in Education Sector Strategic
Plan and Global Partnership for Education
grant monitoring.
The Education Coalition of Zimbabwe
held two days workshop to train civil
society organisations with an interest in
education on advocacy,monitoring and
evaluation to promote their effective
involvement in ESSP and GPE grant
monitoring. Civil society organisations,
teacher unions, student organisations from
provinces and the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education (MoPSE) attended
the workshop.The objectives of the
workshop were to:

Group work during development of a monitoring tool

ii.
iii.

Capacitate
stakeholders
on
advocacy and monitoring of the
ESSP and GPE grant which have
the following components in
Ministry
of
Primary
and
Secondary Education:
Early Reading Initiative.
Performance Lag Address
Program.
Teacher
Development
Information System.
Education Sector Strategic
Plan.
Teacher
Professional
Standards.
Develop a tool to monitor ESSP
implementation and GPE grant.
Make some reflections on the
status of project implementation
including the development of
MoPSE District Operational Plans.

A monitoring tool was succesfully

developed and the input of all stakeholders
was captured. Advocacy issues were also
identified and some were presented to the
MoPSE seeking redress and clarifications.
The coalition members left the meeting
equiped and speeking with one voice of
monitoring the implementation of the
ESSP, DOPs and GPE grant at all levels to
promote transparency and accountability
as well as timely implementation of GPE
activities. CSOs also vowed to claim their
space to be involved by MoPSE in
education processes in their respective
constituencies to promote participatory
planning, implementation, monitoring and
review of the ESSP.

Education View Mirror 2016

Page 6
Members News Briefs

School going

children not spared by

drought as Action Aid chips in

By Faith Muperi

(Watson in picture)

The effects of the Elnino induced drought in Nyanga have left

thousands of people in dire need of help .Watson (9) of Ward
4; Chikata village in Nyanga has not been spared either. As a
young boy attending school at Tsengerayi Primary School in
Nyanga, he has had sad experiences with regards to the effects
of drought within his community. Watson is Grade 2 at
Tsengerayi Primary School and one can only imagine how bad
life has been for a boy his age. Watson is the last born in a
family of six children. He has witnessed two of his elder
brothers and father relocate from Mutare in Manicaland to join
the rest of the family in Nyanga after the farm owner they
worked for retrenched them following poor rains in the 20152016 rainfall season. Crops did not yield in the past harvest
and there was limited food at home. From beginning of 2016,
my three siblings and I spend the day on empty stomachs at
school. In the evening the food we have is not enough for the
whole family but it is better than nothing. Sometimes I abscond
school and spend the whole day home because I will be
hungry, said Watson. I remember one day I fainted during
lessons because I hadnt eaten anything since morning. I also
had not eaten the previous evening. Many of my friends at
school and some would not come to school because they have
nothing to eat, he said. In a bid to curb the effects of the El
Nino induced drought, Action Aid Zimbabwe in partnership
with Family Aids Caring Trust Nyanga introduced school
feeding programmes in schools where they are providing the
corn soya blend porridge for the Early Childhood
Development (ECD) grades to Grade 2 pupils. Watson who is
fortunate enough to get the corn-soya blend expressed gratitude
to the response offered. He is one of the over 200 pupils in 6
classes from the ECD to grade 2 classes that are receiving the
corn-soya blend porridge at Tsengerayi Primary School. Now
we are having this porridge here at school, everyday in the
afternoon. I make it a point that I come to school and I will not
spend the whole day hungry and I will be able to concentrate

ECOZI Members can contribute their news briefs

as follows:ecozim@gmail.com
throughout lessons, said a bright eyed Watson.Watsons
mother, Purtunia Chinyange is one of the women from the
community who take turns to prepare the corn-soya blend for
the children. The women from Chikata Villages have grouped
themselves into groups of eight from different wards who come
to prepare the blend for the children. We have ward-based
groups that come and prepare the blend every week. As
parents we feel humbled because our children can afford to eat
something because they do not have breakfast at home. They
receive the blend midday and then have supper in the evening
at home, said Purtunia. The deputy School head at
Tsengerenyi primary school Moses Nyangoro highlighted that
the response by AAZ and FACT has been helpful. The school
feeding programme has been helping the younger pupils were
no longer coming for lessons due to hunger. Some of the
children come from distant homesteads and they do not get
enough meals a day. At one time, a class of 34 pupils could
record almost half the class absent. Students where performing
badly in class due to hunger. Some could even fall asleep
during lessons and a series of children fainting during school
hours, said Nyangoro.
When we started feeding the lower grades, pupils attendance
improved with the classes being almost full with probably 2 to
5 pupils absent in a week. When we started offering the
porridge three times a week, we noticed that the children would
only come on those specific days they were given the porridge.
So we changed the strategy by providing the blend every day of
the week so that the children attend lessons every day and they
now do so, he said.
The devastating effects of the El-Nino induced drought have
left close to four million people in need of food aid in
Zimbabwe. ActionAid and its partners are implementing the
school feeding programme in its operational areas of Nyanga
Local Development Programmes (LDP) in Nyanga, Saunyama
LDP in Nyanga and in Nkayi LDP in Matabeleland North
Province. A total of 19 schools are benefitting from the
programme in these areas. The school feeding programme has
been running from June 2016 and will be implemented up to
September 2016.

Education View Mirror 2016

Page 7

Members News Briefs

ECOZI Members can contribute their news briefs

as follows:ecozim@gmail.com

When Education Becomes a Burden: The

plight of Female Students in Zimbabwes
Tertiary Institutions.
By Tapiwanashe G Simango-Female
Students Network Information Officer

emanations of the problem but rather the propellant and root

Since the upturn of the millennium Zimbabwe has hit an acute

colleagues

economic meltdown that has crippled the economy. Female

sarcastically referring to a big bust or yellow bone when

students have not been spared from this blow as they languish

referring to a light skinned female Student .Some male lectures

in problems that escalate by the day.

who are expected to be conduct as custodians of female

cause which is accommodation. Sexual Harassment is another

problem that female students are facing. Most female student
have been a victim of or affected by sexual harassment.
Sexually colored remarks are received from fellow male
for

example

they

say,

Hona

dairiboard

Students because they ask for sexual favours in return for pass
Exorbitant school fees in both State and private owned
institutions leaves most students in despair. The fees are
ranging from US$502-$1500.The effects are disastrous as it
trickles down to the poor parents some of who are either
formally employed or a civil servants. A simple evaluation of
the minimum salary of a civil servant that is US300 against the
minimum fees of US$502 draws back rhetoric Mathematical
answers from my primary school days that, It cant.

marks for the Female student. This is commonly referred to as

a thigh for a pass". All this has detrimental psychological
effects on female students which can lead to stress, depression
or even insomnia. It is often thought of that female students
within Tertiary Education Institutions are elite and thus know it
all

.The

presumption of knowledge

marginalizes and

discriminates them from any forms of help which they are

equally in need of .This is a big problem as it kills the culture

Sad as it stands accommodation woes have not pardoned us as

of help seeking behaviors .A very personal experience comes to

well. Residential fees are expensive and landlords have jumped

mind whenever I think of this issue. I had gone to a local 24

at the opportunity to milk out hard earned cash from female

Hour Medical Clinic to seek medical attention for a cold. We

students through exorbitant rentals of US$ 80 per head. A room

had a casual conversation with the nurse that entailed divulging

is sublet to about eight students. The provision of sanitation

that I was a student at the University of Zimbabwe. Later when

services is unimaginable as a domestic toilet can be shared by

i inquired about Family Planning Methods she replied with

over 18 people. If it were an electrical fuse it would have

great shock saying,A University Student who does not know?

blown out because of the over current. An alarm bell rings for

I was left in awe and it killed my enthusiasm for the subject

possible health hazards and the breaking out of diseases such as

which forced me to shy away into dead silence. I could just

cholera.Most female students have resolved to co-habiting to

wonder what more my colleagues have gone through.Aside

foot their bills due to expensive accommodation. This situation

from internal problems encountered within the learning

is under any circumstances unhealthy as it offers a conducive

environment it should be noted that female students just like

environment for the transmission of HIV/AIDS. The scenario is

any other women in Zimbabwe share the same problems such

worse in the light that some of these female students are

as issues to do with inclusion, participation, health access and

involved in inter-generational sex relationships in exchange of

Domestic violence. Female students have other roles they play

money. A hot debate has ensued around this and many at times.

in the functionalism of the society such as being mothers,

University female students have been labelled as being

sisters amongst others. Everyone whom is responsible should

Immoral. The issue rather is not to focus on the evident

see to it that our plight is addressed as a matter of urgency.

Education View Mirror 2016

Page 8

EDUCATION COALITION OF
ZIMBABWE MEMBERSHIP

Action Aid Zimbabwe

Alight Zimbabwe Trust
Association of Church Education
Secretaries
Campaign for Female Education
Care International
Chiedza Child Care Centre
Child and Guardian Foundation
Child Resource Institue in Zimbabwe
Citizen Child
College Lecturer's Association of
Zimbabwe
Deaf Zimbabwe Trust
Disabled Women Support Organisation
Female Students Network
Practical Empowerment Networking
Youth Association
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
Save the Children
Shingirirayi Trust
SOS Children's Villages
Students Solidarity Trust
The HIV and AIDS Management and
Support Organisation
World Vision International
Young Men's Christian Association
Zimbabwe United States Alumni
Association (ZUSAA)

Fondazione Terre des Hommes Italia

(TDH It)
Forum for African Women Educationalists
Zimbabwe Chapter
Foundations Project
Helena Infant Schools
Higher Life Foundation
JF Kapnek Trust
Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation
Masaisai Trust
Mavambo Trust
National Education Union of Zimbabwe
Nhaka Foundation
Plan International
Zimbabwe Association of the Visually
Handicapped
Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference
Zimbabwe Early Childhood Education and
Development Foundation
Zimbabwe Farmers Union
Zimbabwe National Council for the
Welfare of Children
Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood
Development Actors
Zimbabwe Teachers' Association