By Alois Vinga

LACK of meaningful employment against a background of a poorly performing economy, has forced hundreds of thousands of young adults to flee the country in search of greener pastures across the borders.  

These details were revealed in a Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency report, titled: “Poverty Income and Consumption and Expenditure Survey Report”, released this month,

“The total number of people who migrated from the country is 683 673 persons and 72% being male and female migrants in the 20 to 39 year age range,” the document says.

People who are 60 years and above only constituted 1.1% of those who migrated.

Males have a higher percentage of migrants than females in all age groups except in the 10 – 14 year age range.

The statistics also point to the continued existence of brain drain as only 15% of the male migrants completed primary education while 51% of the male migrants have completed secondary education.

At least 11% of the female had completed secondary education.

“A total of 351 990 migrants had completed Ordinary Levels while 35 933 were holders of bachelor’s degree while 8 482 were Master’s Degree holders,” the survey observed.

It was also observed that 26.6% of the adults aged 18 years and above in Zimbabwe depended on salaries and wages as their main source of income.

The research also noted that 67% of people in rural areas were dependent on the sell of their agricultural produce for survival.