Zimbabwe schools have one teacher for every 45 students after the government stopped hiring educators. Education Minister Torerai Moyo told the Senate that this number exceeds recommended standards across all school levels. The education ministry asked officials to approve 8,000 new teaching jobs, but is waiting for a response. Moyo promised lawmakers that the government will start hiring teachers nationwide soon through local offices. Standard ratios should be one teacher for 20 early childhood students, one for 30 primary students, and one for 15 advanced-level students.
The current situation forces teachers to manage more than double the ideal student load. Schools fill positions when teachers die, quit, or move elsewhere. Economic problems caused almost 50,000 students to leave classrooms in 2024. Many families cannot afford basic educational costs despite government efforts to keep children in school. The Senate heard these statistics during their recent meeting about education challenges.
The current situation forces teachers to manage more than double the ideal student load. Schools fill positions when teachers die, quit, or move elsewhere. Economic problems caused almost 50,000 students to leave classrooms in 2024. Many families cannot afford basic educational costs despite government efforts to keep children in school. The Senate heard these statistics during their recent meeting about education challenges.
