The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) is sounding the alarm on a grave injustice taking place in rural communities and beyond. Over the past year, an alarming 11 girls from Angwa Secondary School in Mbire District have been forced to drop out of school due to pregnancy.
This goes against the Education Act amendment (Section 68C), which ensures that pregnant students and adolescent mothers have access to education without facing exclusion due to fees or pregnancy. ARTUZ observes that negative attitudes and stereotypes continue to hinder the successful implementation of this policy.
It is crucial to promote inclusive access to education and reproductive justice by fully including pregnant learners in the education system.The root cause of this travesty is clear – poverty is driving girls into the horrors of child marriage. Families struggling to survive the worsening El nino induced drought are making the unthinkable choice to sacrifice the futures of their young girls.
This violates their basic human rights, and ARTUZ will not stand idly by.In light of the above, ARTUZ is calling on the government for a moratorium on all fees in the education sector, removing the financial barriers that keep children, especially girls, out of the classroom.
However, the education sector in Zimbabwe has unfortunately been susceptible to embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds, and other acts of corruption. This is a deeply troubling issue, as education is widely recognized as a key driver of economic development worldwide.
The implications of corruption within the education system are quite severe, as these misused funds could have otherwise been directed towards improving and expanding access to quality public education.If the resources lost to corruption were instead channeled into state-funded education, the impact could have been transformative.
On the other hand, these funds could have been and used to build new schools, hire and adequately compensate qualified teachers, provide learning materials and technology, offer scholarships and subsidies, and develop robust curriculum and training initiatives.Investing in education in this manner is essential for developing the skilled workforce and informed citizenry needed to build sustainable economic growth and social progress.
Rooting out corruption in the education sector must be a top priority to protect the future of Zimbabwe and its people.
Education is the birthright of every child, not a privilege reserved for the wealthy. If these burdensome fees are eliminated, there is hope that vulnerable girls will have the opportunity to learn, grow, and establish a path towards a brighter tomorrow.
Thus, there will be no more broken dreams, no more stolen future.ARTUZ is drawing a line in the sand, and it will not rest until every child in various, particularly marginalized communities has access to a quality education, free from the shackles of poverty and the scourge of child marriage.
ARTUZ information Desk
www.artuzteachers.org.zwTwitter @ARTUZ_TEACHERS +263776129336/777473135/775643192