British Ambassador to Zimbabwe says the country’s education system is better off with the intervention of Britain.
British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Catriona Laing revealed this at a meeting on Zimbabwe’s re-engagement with the international community initiated by The Space in Harare on Friday.
The Space, is an international platform convened by young people to provide solutions and opportunities for growth and thought process to current and future challenges.
“We are contributing a significant amount towards the education sector in Zimbabwe,” said Liang adding that without Britain’s intervention, education in Zimbabwe could possibly have lost momentum.
However Liang could not divulge the exact amount that her country is contributing to the education system in the country, but it is public knowledge that most of the contributions made to the education sector are coming from the outside world.
Government which previously pumped billions into education is now losing heart in extending the basic right to an education to society’s disadvantaged people as evidenced by the growing figures of school drop-outs.
The British Ambassador refuted claims by the ruling party that Britain and other western countries imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe.
“We have never imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe and we will never walk away from Zimbabwe.
“There is no re-engagement to talk about when we have always been engaging,” she said.
She also said that there are on-going talks between Britain and Zimbabwe.
“We are having constructive discussions with government so as to map the way forward for Zimbabwe,” she said adding that her country is even eager to support a comprehensive land reform programme.
Ashok Chakravarti, senior advisor in the USAID strategic economic research and analysis programme who was also on the panel together with Catriona Laing and IMF resident representative to Zimbabwe, Christian Beddies said there is policy inconsistent in Zimbabwe.
“There is policy disorder in Zimbabwe,” said Professor Chakravarti, citing the agricultural policy as an example.
He also said that policies are very important in creating an enabling environment rather than begging for money.
“The problem with Zimbabwe is that it focuses much on money rather than reforming policies,” he said.
