Zimbabwe spent approximately US$4,7 million on school construction between 2018 and 2023 but delivered only 242 schools out of a planned 1 800, translating to an average expenditure of about US$19 421 per school, a 2025 Auditor-General’s Value for Money audit has revealed.
The audit, which assessed the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s infrastructure programme, found that 1 558 schools remain unbuilt despite near-full utilisation of allocated public funds. Nationally, the programme achieved only about 13,4 percent of its construction target over the five-year period.
Acting Auditor-General Rheah Kujinga said the slow pace of delivery, stalled projects and weak execution had directly worsened overcrowding in schools. She noted that in some areas classrooms accommodate more than 90 pupils, forcing schools to introduce three-session days or conduct lessons outside under trees.
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Provincial performance was particularly poor. Harare Province completed just 17 schools out of a target of 180, representing about 9,4 percent achievement. Bulawayo Province constructed 10 schools, also falling far short of its planned target, contributing to severe congestion in urban schools. Overall, no province met even a quarter of its construction target during the period under review.
The audit revealed that several projects stalled for four to six years, with building materials in some cases procured years in advance but left unused. Kujinga said such delays exposed public funds to wastage and price escalations, while learners continued to study in overcrowded and unsafe environments.
Serious governance and management weaknesses were also flagged. These included poor supervision of contractors, weak contract management, and the non-functionality of the national project management committee, which was meant to coordinate and monitor school construction. In some instances, substandard buildings were completed and later condemned, further undermining value for money.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education acknowledged the scale of the infrastructure backlog, attributing delays to funding constraints, inflationary pressures, and the complexity of coordinating multiple stakeholders, including local authorities and communities. The ministry said the expansion of satellite schools had been used as a stopgap measure to improve access to education, with more than 9 000 satellite schools now operating nationwide.
However, the Auditor-General warned that the current approach raises serious concerns about value for money, execution capacity and accountability. Kujinga urged the ministry to align construction plans with available resources, prioritise the completion of ongoing projects before starting new ones, and strengthen oversight mechanisms to ensure that future spending translates into functional classrooms rather than unfinished structures.
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