By Khokhelani Xhame-Change Radio
Aristotle’s timeless wisdom, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet,” haunts Zimbabwe as the country’s education system faces a severe crisis. A staggering 75% of learners are vanishing from schools before reaching A-Level, with only 25% making it to Lower 6, according to the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union (ARTUZ).
The statistics paint a grim picture: for every four learners who start school, only one reaches the threshold of advanced education. “A whole generation is being squeezed out of opportunity,” ARTUZ warns, emphasizing that the bitter roots of neglect are starving Zimbabwe’s future.
The union is now championing an Education Equalisation Fund aimed at rebuilding crumbling infrastructure and expanding access to marginalized communities. “It’s time to nurture the roots so the fruits of education are shared by all,” ARTUZ says.
