Zimbabwe adopts climate smart education systems initiative

Harare, (New Ziana) -The Zimbabwe government has initiated the process to mainstream climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, and environmental sustainability in the education system, an official has said.

Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) acting director for Strategic Policy Planning, Research and Statistics, Cloud Nyambuya said this on Wednesday while addressing participants of a three-day workshop on climate-smart education systems being held in the capital.

He said the initiative was critical to the country’s education as climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability strategies assist in curbing reduced school attendance due to drought and other climate change-induced challenges such as cyclones and similar disasters.

“We expect this workshop to help us inform the development of climate change adaptation measures and help formulate policy interventions that will mitigate the education sector against the negative effects of climate change,” said Nyambuya.

Called Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative (CSESI) and funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the project’s overall aim is to enhance the capacities of countries to mainstream climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability into education sector plans, budgets, and strategies.

The initiative also focuses on enhancing the capacity of Education Ministries for cross-sectoral coordination on climate and environment-related policy and programming.

Zimbabwe is among 20 countries in the world participating in the initiative through the MPOSE, with support through training and technical assistance from UNESCO, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), and Save the Children.

The Harare workshop is the first globally and is expected to chart a way forward for the initiative’s critical next steps in implementation.

Zimbabwe is among the most climate-vulnerable in the world, ranking 168 (out of 185) countries on the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index in 2021.

Climate change stressors such as floods, cyclones, droughts, and erratic rainfall patterns threaten Zimbabwe’s education system by increasing the frequency of school closures, reducing school enrolment and attendance, damaging schools’ infrastructure as well as reducing learning outcomes, health, and well-being of children.

New Ziana