Britain gives Zimbabwe $19m for girls’ bursaries

Daily News

By Wendy Muperi

13 July 2012

Britain on Wednesday gave Zimbabwe a $19 million four-year grant to provide bursaries for marginalised secondary school female students.

Officially launching the programme in Guruve, Education minister David Coltart described the British government as an “all-weather friend”.

“On behalf of government I am most grateful for the gesture made by the British to the education sector,” Coltart said.

“Let me share with you that DFID this year committed $73 million to supporting education efforts in Zimbabwe.”

The grant released through the Department for International Development (DFID), and administered by the Campaign for Female Education (Camfed), will benefit at least 24 000 girls from 28 rural districts with comprehensive bursaries between 2012 and 2016.

Coltart said government should prioritise the empowerment of girls through education for national development.

“Though the relations between our two governments have not been good, the British people have continued to support us. Through the cooperation, we have managed to restore stability in the sector. The new bursaries we are launching today are a great and timely complement to allow girls who would otherwise not benefit from such valuable and commendable investments,” he said.

“The education of a girl child is one of the most important task and prerequisite of any government for sustainable economic growth and development. A government that neglects the education of a girl child condemns itself to a bleak future,” said Coltart.

“To put it in context, the Zimbabwean government this year has allocated only some $5 million dollars on non-salary expenditure,” he said.

Dave Fish, head of DFID in Zimbabwe, said the programme will change lives of the girl child.

“This programme will transform lives and communities. It helps the most vulnerable girls with the basics — school and exam fees, uniform and stationery.

“Things that a young lady needs to stay in school and do well,” said Fish.

Camfed director Angeline Murimirwa said there was need for a multi-sectoral approach for the country to achieve satisfactory progress in education.

Since February this year, the UK government has committed over $350 million to help ensure the poorest people in Zimbabwe have access to basic services such as education, health, water and sanitation.