UNICEF Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development Rob Jenkins meets key stakeholders
During a four-day mission to Zimbabwe, Rob Jenkins visited schools and youth centres and interfaced with children and young people.
Rob Jenkins, UNICEF’s Global Director of Education and Adolescent Development, visited Zimbabwe end of January 2023 to take stock of the education in the country.
He had a chance to meet Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Members of Parliament and stakeholders in the education sector.
He also participated in the highly successful High-Level Policy Dialogue on Education in Harare. Ambassadors, education sector stakeholders and Government ministries attended the dialogue.
Ron Jenkins visited learners at Westlea primary school, where he had a chance to discuss the deployment and benefits of the Learning Passport. He listened with great interest to the experiences and ideas they had to share.
At least 35 per cent of the schools in Zimbabwe have been connected to the Learning Passport as the Government, and its partners continue to adapt learning to the new digital innovations that ensure no child is left behind in accessing education.
The Learning Passport is an online, mobile and offline platform initiated by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and UNICEF in partnership with Microsoft in 2021.
During his 4-day visit to the country, Rob Jenkins was joined by David Morley, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada. Dr Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Zimbabwe, accompanied them throughout their visits and meetings.
They were meetings with Hon. Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Evelyn Ndhlovu. Rob Jenkins was briefed on the government’s advocacy around ensuring free primary education for every child in the country.
In addition to visiting the education school in Harare for the Learning Passport close-up experience, Rob Jenkins and David Morley attended a meeting in Chitungwiza with Youth Advocates to discuss the importance of empowering, informing, and involving young people on issues affecting them, including HIV, reproductive health, gender violence, mental health, and psychosocial support.
Youth Advocates leads the way towards a future in which adolescent girls and boys can enter freely into productive adulthood because they are educated, engaged, healthy, free from STIs and AIDS, and not exposed to violence, unintended pregnancy or unsafe abortion; a world where girls are treated with dignity and respect in equal measure with boys and where, regardless of their identity, young people’s human rights are promoted and respected.
Rob Jenkins and David Morley pose for a picture with school children from Nyatsime College and Youth Advocates
