There is a large literature on the economic returns to education around the world. Most of this points to the value of schooling in simple economic terms for boys and girls at both primary and secondary levels. But what happens when the type of jobs that school leavers usually get no longer exist? Under such circumstances is going to school worth it? Is it not better to invest in the practical skills of farming and herding and commit to rural production rather than escape to alternatives off-farm?
In Zimbabwe, this is a live debate as the core economy has collapsed and formal jobs are scarce. Unless you can pay for really elite education and get those few professional jobs in the country or abroad, does having a scattering of Cambridge O’ Levels – and all the costs associated – make sense?
Educational achievements
In our study of young people’s post-land reform prospects, the dilemmas around educational options were often raised in discussion. Amongst the younger cohort in our sample (now aged 20-31) only 4% of individuals are still in education, with the highest proportion (8%) being women in Matobo, very often doing retakes of O’ Levels. In Cohort 1, 59% completed Form 4 (pre-sixth form secondary school level), rising to 60% in Cohort 2. This remains a significant proportion and is higher amongst women across sites except Masvingo. The percentage that continued to sixth form or beyond remains small (10% and 11% in total), although a relatively high proportion of women in Matobo continued to post-secondary education in the recent cohort, including vocational training linked to poultry contract outgrowing at the commercial farm near the site. The numbers that finished schooling at primary level (Grade 7) was 18% and 14% across the cohorts, with the highest level being men in Matobo (31% in both cohorts), who often leave the area for work so abandoning school.
This article is from Zimbabweland, a blog written by IDS Research Fellow Ian Scoones. Zimbabweland focuses on issues related to rural livelihoods and land reform in Zimbabwe.