By Munacho Gwanda-The government has revealed that at least 13,000 Zimbabwean students are currently enrolled in universities across Poland, highlighting a growing trend of academic migration as local tertiary education continues to deteriorate.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Sheila Chikomo made this disclosure in Parliament recently while responding to a question from Emakhandeni-Luveve MP Descent Bajila.
Bajila had inquired about the accreditation of Polish universities attended by Zimbabwean students.
Chikomo explained that many Zimbabwean students are drawn to Poland due to its affordable tuition fees and the possibility of further migration to other European destinations. She stated:
“The significant population of Zimbabweans residing in Poland comprises not only students but also truck drivers and other professionals who have been attracted by various opportunities. Poland serves as a gateway to Europe and the United Kingdom.”
The increasing exodus of Zimbabwean students to foreign universities is a direct consequence of the decline in the country’s education system since the military coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe in 2017.
Once celebrated as a model of educational excellence in Africa, Zimbabwe’s education sector has suffered severe setbacks in recent years due to chronic underfunding, corruption, and economic collapse.
Under Mugabe, Zimbabwe boasted one of the highest literacy rates on the continent, thanks to heavy investments in public education.
However, post-coup governance under President Emmerson Mnangagwa has seen a steady decline in quality, exacerbated by frequent strikes by underpaid lecturers, dilapidated infrastructure, and skyrocketing tuition fees that have made higher education inaccessible for many.
The situation has been worsened by government policies prioritizing political survival over educational reform.
Many qualified academics have left the country, leading to a brain drain that has further weakened Zimbabwe’s tertiary institutions.
Chikomo noted that the actual number of Zimbabwean students in Poland is difficult to determine, as many make private arrangements and do not register with the Zimbabwean Embassy in Germany, which oversees Polish affairs. She admitted:
“This has made it difficult to ascertain the exact number of Zimbabweans living in Poland. So far, efforts to gather accurate figures have not yielded the desired results.”
The Deputy Minister emphasized that for the embassy to determine the exact number of Zimbabweans in Poland, officials would need to undertake an extensive study, requiring travel to various parts of the country.
She also highlighted that one of the main factors attracting Zimbabwean students to Poland is the affordability of university fees, which are approximately $3,500 per year—significantly lower than what many private universities in Zimbabwe charge.
“Zimbabwean students in Poland are registered with the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and enrolled in different universities, with Vincent Pol University (VPU) in Lublin being one of the most prominent institutions of choice.”
She further noted that VPU is officially recognized by Polish education authorities and offers both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs.
In the past year alone, approximately 300 Zimbabwean students have graduated from VPU.
The migration of Zimbabwean students to Poland is emblematic of a deeper crisis—one where young, talented individuals are forced to seek opportunities abroad due to the failures of their home country’s education system.
With no clear roadmap for reform, Zimbabwe continues to lose a critical component of its future workforce to foreign nations, raising concerns about long-term national development.
The Zimbabwean government faces mounting pressure to address systemic failures and restore confidence in local institutions as the education sector crumbles under economic hardship.
Until then, thousands of students will continue to look beyond the country’s borders for the education and opportunities their homeland no longer guarantees.