Zimbabweans generally debate the quality of the national education system, with hardly any consensus on its ranking. But the World Economic Forum (WEF), which convenes one of the most high profiles annual conferences globally, ranks Zimbabwe among five countries in Africa with some of the best education systems on the continent. The top five are Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, according to its latest annual report. The WEF included 17 African nations in its rankings in 2023 compared to nine in 2018 and just two in 2012. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) put Zimbabwe’s adult literacy rate at 89.70 percent in 2022, an increase of 5.11 percent from 2011. In 2024, the United Nations International Day of Education, marked annually on January 24, was built around the theme: “learning for lasting peace”. The day was earmarked by the UN General Assembly in 2018 to celebrate the role that education plays in peace and development. The Zimbabwean education system is made up of two years of pre-primary school – referred to as Early Childhood Development (ECD), which is offered to children from the age of 3 to 5 years – seven years of primary school and four to six years of secondary education, followed by higher education in the college and university system. The Zimbabwe school system consists of: ECD ‘A’ and ECD ‘B’ is for the 3–4-year-olds and 4–5-year-olds respectively. The government has a policy which incorporates ECD into the primary education cycle for 2 years. To this end the policy stipulates that at least 2 ECD classes should be attached to every primary school. Ninety eight percent of Primary Schools are offering ECD classes. Currently Primary education is a seven-year cycle and the official entry age is six years. This programme espouses the policy of compulsory education and automatic promotion from one level to the other. There is a national examination at the end of primary education cycle. Due to the shortage of secondary schools in some disadvantaged areas and the inability to raise the required school fees by some parents, the national examination becomes terminal to about 30 percent of the pupils at the Grade seven level. Secondary education in Zimbabwe comprises a four-year General Certificate of Education, (Ordinary Level). The official age for entry into Form One is 13 years. Every Grade 7 pupil is expected to graduate to Form One. There is automatic progression from Form one to Form four. Zimbabwe inherited the British system of education. Students sit for the General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level at the end of four years of secondary education. This examination is equivalent to the Cambridge University General Certificate at ordinary level where it emanated from. After ‘O’ Level, students who succeed can proceed to do a two-year General Certificate of Education Advanced Level cycle. Progression is on merit and the number of A Level places are limited. General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) examination is the entry requirement for pupils into university. However, Zimbabwean students are accepted into universities outside Zimbabwe on the strength of their General Certificate of Education – Ordinary Level examination results. Those who pass ‘O’ Level but fail to proceed to do ‘A’ Level can do any of the following, among others: Teacher education, Nursing and Polytechnic education. Tertiary Education in Zimbabwe comprises a multiplicity of programmes offered in different types of institutions that include technical and vocational training colleges, teacher training colleges and universities. The duration of these programmes varies. In Zimbabwe, entry into university is generally for those who would have successfully completed their ‘A’ Levels. The duration of the undergraduate degree programmes is usually four years, although there are some programmes that last longer like applied sciences. The Universities also offer postgraduate degrees at masters and doctoral level. There are a number of statutory bodies that monitor and regulate the provision of higher education in Zimbabwe. These bodies address various issues including quality assurance, identification of training and research needs, representation of lecturing staff and monitoring occupational standards. The Act came into force in May 2020 and seeks to amend the Education Act (Chapter 25:04) (“Principal Act”) by bringing it in line with the constitutional provision on education and international practice as stipulated in the African Charter and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The amendment protects marginalised children by promoting inclusive and equitable education specifically the girl child who is vulnerable.