Avondale Infant School, Zimbabwe. Credit: GPE/Carine Durand

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$120,008,860

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • Multiplier and Girls' Education Accelerator
  • System capacity
  • System transformation

Partnership Compact

Priority: Improving gender equality, equitable access to education, and ensure quality teaching and learning.

Other key documents

Transforming education in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, about two-thirds of school age children go to school. Access to, as well as the quality of, their education is often related to where they live. Children in rural and remote areas struggle to access education, as do children with disabilities and children from families who cannot afford school fees.

Other challenges include under-resourced schools, lack of infrastructure and the effects of disasters on infrastructure. Poor learning outcomes also influence a family's decision on whether to send their child to school.

GPE is supporting the government and partners to achieve transformational change through Zimbabwe’s priority reform area: equitable access to relevant quality education for all children.

Increasing the number of schools with safe and appropriate infrastructure, establishing a system to identify children at risk of dropping out, improving foundational literacy and numeracy for learners, and enhancing teachers’ capacity to deliver quality education will help get more children into school, prevent dropout and improve learning outcomes.

Key to achieving change at scale is Zimbabwe's equitable financing commitment, targeting funding to the poorest and most marginalized schools.

Result story

Zimbabwe: A stronger education system after Cyclone Idai

  • In 2019, Cyclone Idai caused major disruptions to the education system in Zimbabwe, affecting the schooling of more than 90,800 children.
  • With GPE’s support, the government built a resilient education system to ensure learning is never interrupted.
  • Now schools, teachers and students are better prepared to withstand the negative effects of natural disasters.

Grants

(data as of March 19, 2024)

 
  • Type: Multiplier

    Years: 2024 - 2026

    Allocation: US$8,660,000

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: System transformation and Girls' Education Accelerator

    Years: 2023 - 2026

    Allocation: US$32,279,000

    Utilization: US$1,488,213

    Grant agent: CAMFED, UNICEF

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2023 - 2026

    Allocation: US$2,955,955

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: Program development

    Years: 2023 - 2024

    Allocation: US$200,000

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: CAMFED

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2021 - 2024

    Allocation: US$344,005

    Utilization: US$144,706

    Grant agent: UNICEF

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting:

  • The Education Coalition of Zimbabwe (ECOZI) for the 2020-2023 period. This builds on previous support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).
  • The Transnational Networks Advocacy Capacity strengthened for improved ECDE legislation, policies and measures in Southern Africa (TRANAC) led by Zimbabwe Network of Early Childhood Development (ZINECDA) for the 2021-2023 period.
  • Addressing the learning crisis through system strengthening led by Global Integrity for the 2021-2024 period.
  • Girls Education Advocacy in the Region (GEAR) led by Students And Youth Working on reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) for the 2021-2024 period.
  • Adolescent Mothers’ Education Initiative (AMEI) led by World Vision UK for the 2021-2024 period.

Learn more

Latest blogs and news