On 18 February 2025, Education Coalition of Zimbabwe (ECOZI) hosted a validation meeting with key stakeholders to submit the Policy Brief on Education Financing in Zimbabwe and validate the Quarterly Budget Tracking Toolkit for Primary and Secondary Education. The engagement provided a platform for dialogue and consensus-building around public education funding, transparency, and accountability.
Participants included officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE), UNICEF, civil society organisations such as ZINECDA, ZIMCODD, SAYWHAT, and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education. The session aimed to improve collaboration between government and civil society in enhancing financial tracking mechanisms for the education sector.
The Policy Brief presented during the session outlined key financing gaps in the education system, challenges related to BEAM disbursements, underfunding of inclusive education, and low budget allocations towards ECD and teacher development. It recommended stronger budget prioritisation for learner support services, inclusive infrastructure, and improved budget monitoring.
The Budget Tracking Toolkit was also validated during this session. Designed for use by MoPSE and overseen by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, the toolkit introduces a quarterly reporting framework that disaggregates allocations, disbursements, and actual expenditures across key programme areas. It also includes indicators for SDG 4 alignment, gender responsiveness, and infrastructure development.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment to roll out the toolkit and utilise the policy brief to strengthen education advocacy, promote evidence-based planning, and hold duty bearers accountable for education financing in Zimbabwe.
