System Failure: Ministry of Education Offices Paralyzed by Severe Funding Crisis

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerai Moyo

Masvingo, Zimbabwe- Zimbabwe’s education supervisory system has reportedly ground to a halt as district and provincial offices run out of necessities, including fuel, stationery, and water. A severe funding crisis, exacerbated by a Treasury freeze on critical auxiliary accounts, has left school inspectors grounded and administrative buildings in a state of decay.

According to an official from the Ministry who spoke to the Masvingo Mirror, the lack of liquidity has reached a tipping point, affecting the most basic human requirements in public buildings.

• Logistics & Utilities: Official vehicles are grounded due to a lack of fuel, while electricity and water supplies have been cut off at several offices due to long-standing unpaid bills.

• Basic Supplies: Offices report a total lack of stationery, printer toners, and even toilet paper.

• Inspectorate Paralysis: School inspectors, the backbone of quality control in the education system, have been unable to conduct field visits since 2025. Many are reportedly owed Travel and Subsistence (T&S) allowances dating back four years.

The crisis deepened in October 2025 when the Ministry of Finance froze the bank accounts of the Better Schools Programme Zimbabwe (BSPZ).

• The Cause: Authorities cite "widespread abuse of funds" by provincial and district education officers as the reason for the freeze.

• The Consequence: BSPZ workers have gone unpaid for months. Furthermore, because many administrative functions were being sustained by parents' contributions to this scheme, the freeze has effectively decapitated the Ministry’s operational budget.

In Masvingo, the situation reached a point where District Schools Inspector Ishmael Chigaba reportedly had to approach the National Association of Primary School Heads (NAPH) and the Secondary School Heads (NASH) to plead for funds to settle utility bills. While Chigaba confirmed the dire situation, he declined to specify who eventually covered the costs.

Despite the widespread reports of shutdowns, Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro maintains that "operations are continuing smoothly" and that funds are being distributed via Treasury. This claim, however, has been flatly disputed by provincial officers who insist they have not seen Treasury disbursements in over four years.

Ministry of Education funding crisis Zimbabwe