Unicef Calls for Help to Keep Zimbabwean Children in School

The United Nation's children fund, Unicef, has called on the international community to support efforts to get Zimbabwean pupils back to school in September.

Despite the country's unstable domestic situation, school enrolment rates have actually risen over the past five years, and Unicef said it was keen to ensure this trend continued.

Unicef's representative in Zimbabwe, Festo Kavishe, said this week that Zimbabweans were making "great sacrifices" so their children could continue going to school in the face of a declining economy, high unemployment, food shortages and an increasing number of orphans, caused in part by the rise of HIV and Aids cases. Zimbabwe now has the world's fourth highest rate of infection.

"General enrolment is up, while families who have been greatly stretched by absorbing this country's 1.3 million orphans are somehow finding the means to keep orphans in school," said Mr Kavishe.

But he added: "Recent surveys show signs of strain in the families' ability to support their children to go to school. I can think of no clearer reason why Zimbabweans deserve the full support of the international community."

Between 2000 and 2004, national primary school enrolment rates rose from 92% to 96% and nearly four out of five orphans and other vulnerable children continued in education, according to UN figures. The country also managed to achieve gender parity.

The Zimbabwean government's recent "restore order" programme to clear slum dwellings, known as Operation Murambatsvina - affected most of the country's cities and over the past two months has left thousands homeless and displaced. But it has also failed to significantly reduce the number of children in school. Some 90% of children affected by the forced evictions remain in education.

Mr Kavishe said Unicef wanted to ensure numbers did not drop and is supporting the Zimbabwean ministry of education's back to school campaign next month. The campaign will seek to re-enrol all children who recently left school because of the clearance operation and encourage more vulnerable children to attend.

Children's charities and politicians have pinpointed education as key to tackling poverty and reducing HIV and Aids rates, but the cost of tuition fees remains a huge barrier to achieving the UN's millennium goal of giving all children a primary education.

Although primary education is now free in state schools in some parts of Africa, like Uganda, for example, education in Zimbabwe has to be paid for, although the government is trying to keep costs down. It also says it is working towards primary education for all.

"Education remains the engine to drive Zimbabwe's long-term prospects, and it is clear from this data that Zimbabwean parents know that," added Mr Kavishe. "With additional international assistance we can support the admirable endeavours of parents and communities across this country."