EKWE JONAL

We examine the efficacy of privatizing basic education in Zimbabwe, focusing on its impact on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on quality education. Education privatization policies transfer control and ownership of educational institutions from the public to the private sector, often touted as a way to improve efficiency, accountability, and quality (Avonture et al., 2024). However, privatization can exacerbate inequality, increasing costs and limiting access for marginalized groups (Canto-Sperber, 2021), further stratifying society by class and gender. In reality, high costs hinder students with disabilities, those from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds, and girls from accessing private education. Zimbabwe's experience after independence in the 1980s shows that governments can provide education services effectively. However, the introduction of Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) led to a rapid reduction in state subsidies, affecting education provision. To ensure education is effective, inclusive, and beneficial, government must eliminate all forms of discrimination, providing equal access to quality education. This includes making provisions for free primary and secondary education. Education should be recognized as a right, not a business, enshrined in international and local legal instruments. Using decolonial, intersectionality, and gender lenses, we conducted an exploratory qualitative study, gathering data through a comprehensive literature review guided by the PRISMA framework and key informant interviews with education policymakers, lecturers, teachers, learners, and the general public. Our literature review used a scoping method to systematically gather and synthesize relevant documents, ensuring transparency and reproducibility in the search and selection process.We argue that education privatization is a multifaceted process requiring an intersectional approach to operationalization. Prioritizing the welfare of marginalized groups who are the main recipients of educational services is crucial. An educational approach that presents barriers to access is exclusionary and colonial. A decolonial mode of education privatization should support central governments in delivering education services responsibly.

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