A severe financial crisis threatens to close the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education's district and provincial offices across Zimbabwe, according to internal sources. The suspension of the Better Schools Project Zimbabwe, or BSPZ, which reportedly funds all operational costs beyond teacher salaries, has halted office functions. Sources indicate that rents and utility bills have gone unpaid since the suspension, risking service disconnections, while a lack of fuel has prevented school inspectors from traveling.
Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro denied any planned closures, asserting that the government provides the ministry's primary funding. Internal sources, however, contend that the government long ago ceased funding these operations, leaving them entirely dependent on the BSPZ for expenses like vehicles and allowances. Takavafira Zhou, president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, stated that the BSPZ should not replace the government's responsibility to fund the education system. He called for the government to be held accountable for the functionality of its offices.
Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro denied any planned closures, asserting that the government provides the ministry's primary funding. Internal sources, however, contend that the government long ago ceased funding these operations, leaving them entirely dependent on the BSPZ for expenses like vehicles and allowances. Takavafira Zhou, president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, stated that the BSPZ should not replace the government's responsibility to fund the education system. He called for the government to be held accountable for the functionality of its offices.
