Zimbabwe: Teachers Get Salary Top-Ups

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The Herald (Harare)

9 October 2008
Posted to the web 9 October 2008

Harare

GOVERNMENT has awarded teachers salary top-ups ranging between $62 000 and $91 000 to augment their earnings.

Although the Secretary for Education, Sport and Culture, Dr Stephen Mahere, could not be reached for comment, the Zimbabwe Teachers' Association and the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe both confirmed the top-ups in separate interviews yesterday.

"Yes, Government did give teachers something, but the amounts are too inadequate to mention. While that was a welcome move, the amounts are insignificant and do not alleviate the financial challenges that teachers and civil servants in general are facing," said Zimta administration and public relations officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu.

He said the teachers' representatives convened another meeting with the Government immediately after they were advised of the top-ups and indicated that "the amounts were too insignificant".

"They (Government representatives) said they had no mandate to give anything more and we asked them to go back and consult the principals. Teachers are still incapacitated and it would be a miracle to find the system working at this level of remuneration," Mr Ndlovu said.

He said the current academic year had been wasted with service delivery compromised.

Mr Raymond Majongwe of PTUZ also confirmed the payment of top-ups.

"We first got $12 000 (salaries) two weeks ago and this time it has been topped up with amounts ranging between $62 000 and $91 000," he said.

Mr Majongwe said the amounts were "too insignificant" to meet the teachers' daily needs.

"We had a meeting with the Secretary for Education, Sport and Culture, Dr Stephen Ma-here, on Monday from 11am to 3pm. The meeting sought to address the problems which teachers and the education sector are facing. He promised to take up the issues we raised with the responsible authorities."

Among the grievances presented to the Gove-rnment by teachers are the salaries, transport and housing allowances, brain drain, low status of educators and the current cash shortages.

They recommended that teachers be given competitive salaries in tandem with those prevailing in the sub-region.

"We recommended that our salaries be benchmarked on salaries obtaining in the Sadc region currently averaging R12 000 a month," said Mr Ndlovu.

A suggestion was also made that teachers be paid in foreign currency to retain value and assist them acquire basic commodities sold in foreign currency.

It was also highlighted that the current shortage of cash has seen teachers battling to withdraw their salaries and spending more time in bank queues than in the classroom.

Mr Ndlovu said Zimta also recommended that the ministry approach the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to review cash withdrawal limits and allow teachers access to all their earnings at once.

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