Zimbabwe generally has the highest literacy rate in Africa, but it’s premier tertiary learning institution, University of Zimbabwe (UZ), is now ranked 69 out 100 in Africa.

This is according to uniRank University Ranking.

Before the recent fall, UZ was ranked number 50.

As reported by Newshawks, this reflects how the quality of education has been on a free fall in the country.

The quality of Zimbabwe’s education at all levels has been going down owing to the negative effects of its economic crisis, under-funding, brain drain and dire lack of innovation and research, among other factors.

The COVID 19 pandemic has also to a lesser extent added to the woes.

The country’s education has been on the downward spiral for years now.

Meanwhile, some critics believe the country fell from the apex of having highest literacy rate many years back.

The deteriorating economy saw the fall of education infrastructure, learning materials and brain drain.

The teacher-pupil ratio and the pupil-book ratio have drastically fallen over the years.

To add to this crisis teachers are always at loggerheads with the government, their employer over better pay and working conditions.

Zwnews