To The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
H.E. Cde. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa

RE: Invitation to submit the National Statement of Commitment and to send a national delegation to attend the United Nations’ Transforming Education Summit in New York, USA, beginning on 19 September 2022.

Your Excellency,

My name is Joshua Marikopo, a citizen of our country. I am a youth representative of the World Organization of the Scouts Movement and part of the Action Group for the Transforming Education Summit advocating for education issues around the globe.

I am writing to you to bring to your attention the subject referenced above.

Concerned by the need to improve equitable access to, and completion of quality and inclusive education in Zimbabwe, I encourage the Government of Zimbabwe to submit Zimbabwe’s National Statement of Commitment, including:     

  • Recognizing the increased incentives provided to Zimbabwean teachers’ salary package: there is a need for continuity in boosting teachers’ capacity, motivation, and ability to teach at potential, including using information, communication, and technology tools.
  • Taking into consideration that, according to UNICEF Zimbabwe, a mere 9% of students are completing upper secondary: there is need to prevent drop-outs of children from school, especially girls, and support reintegration for pregnant girls and, more importantly, increase funding to the BEAM scheme and reintroduce the STEAM scholarship program.
  • Enhancing alternative learning opportunities and making non-formal education accessible to every child in Zimbabwe, and supporting the leading organizations in Zimbabwe that provide life skills learning and collaborate on the best ways of implementing such programs so that they can be accessible to every child, and facilitate policies that will formalize these implementations. 

In light of the Our Common Agenda report by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Summit presents an opportunity to renew international political commitment to education as a fundamental public good. It will serve to mobilize action, ambition, solidarity, and solutions to recover pandemic-related learning losses, reimagine education for the future, and reignite global efforts to deliver the education-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Therefore, I am encouraging our government of Zimbabwe to announce our National Statement of Commitment to show our pledge in supporting this Summit before the deadline in August.

I encourage the government through the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Hon. Dr. E Ndlovu and her ministry to make this Summit an event of utmost importance.

I thank you for your consideration and look forward to seeing Zimbabwe among the countries who are leading the transformation we need to see in education.

Sincerely,

Josh Marikopo

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