MORE children are dropping out of school across the country due to financial challenges and early marriages, with Mashonaland Central province leading the statistics, a new report has shown.
A latest Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) 2024 report says 25,8% of school-going children in Mashonaland Central are not attending school.
Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South follow closely with 25,2% and 25,1% of children out of school, respectively.
“Children of school-going age not in school on the following provinces, namely Matabeleland North with 25,2%, Matabeleland South 25,1%. Mashonaland East 20,2%, Mashonaland 21,5%, Midlands 21,6%, Masvingo 19,5%, Manicaland 20%. Nationally, 22,3% of school going age children were not in school at the time of the survey,” the report read.
According to the report, financial difficulties were the most commonly cited reasons preventing many families from affording education for their children.
“Financial challenges were reported to be the main reasons why some children were out of school, while some were because of marriage or pregnancy,”ZimLAC said.
“Other reasons were because of illness, children considered too young, care for other household members, distance too far, not interested in school.”
Education Coalition of Zimbabwe executive director Elvis Chitsungo recently said over 2,7 million children were not attending school, raising serious concern about the state of education in the country.
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In October last year, Primary and Secondary Education minister Torerai Moyo said at least 50 000 pupils dropped out of school between 2021 and 2023.
Several factors have contributed to the high number of out-of-school children in Zimbabwe, which are namely economic hardships, which have been exacerbated by inflation and unemployment.
Many families struggle to afford school fees, uniforms and other necessary supplies, forcing children to drop out or not even enrol altogether.
A 2023 global study ranked Zimbabwe’s education as one of the most expensive, which is leading to a rise in school dropouts.
The report, by World Remit 2022 Cost of School, said the price of education in Zimbabwe was six times more than the total average income for any family.
