Harare — More than 45, 000 teachers have left Zimbabwe to look for greener pastures abroad in the past decade, a new report indicates.
An unprecedented economic decline blamed on the political squabbles and President Robert Mugabe's questionable policies has seen millions of Zimbabweans, including sought-after professionals seek refuge overseas and in neighbouring countries.
The formation of an inclusive government between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year has done little to stem the tide.
Health and education sectors have been the hardest hit by the brain drain, which has paralysed schools and hospitals.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association, which has been involved in a bruising battle with the unity government over poor remuneration, said only 7,000 teachers had returned to classes following the formation of the unity government.
Govt broke
The association said the country's 5,200 primary and 1,500 secondary schools had staffing deficits of 30 per cent on average. Last week, the Finance Minister, Mr Tendai Biti, said the government will not be reviewing teachers' salaries anytime soon because the coalition is broke.
Zimbabwe's civil servants earn an average of $276, which is highly inadequate in a country that heavily relies on imports because of the economic hardships.
The figures, which reveal the impact of the economic devastation on the country's once envied education sector is likely to raise further alarm in the inclusive government on the collapse of key sectors. ZIMTA says the salaries teachers are receiving are demoralising as they cannot afford to meet their own living expenses.
Urgent call
"Enduring solutions on salaries, food and working conditions should be reached soon, the situation in schools requires urgent action," the association says in a new report.
Education Minister David Coltart said low morale was just one of the many challenges facing Zimbabwe's education sector.
He said huge amounts of money would be needed to resuscitate the sector but the unity government would struggle to raise the funds on its own. "Our economy has been in turmoil for the past 20 years or so," said Mr Coltart from Germany where is on a fund raising campaign to replenish schools with textbooks.
Zimbabwe has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa but this might change with the collapse of the education sector.
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As a zimbabwean teacher this a testimony of the extent of the desperate plight of zim teachers.The economic disintergration in Zimbabwe has forced us to become refugees and cheap labour in S.A government&private schools rather than endure economic hardships in our beloved country.
And none of it had to happen. If only the people of Zimbabwe loved their children more than they hate the people who built their schools.
So the "people" are voting with their feet!
Better to be a Zimbabwean refugee than a Zimbabwean within Zimbabwe! How sickening is THAT, that Zimbabweans would prefer to be refugees than citizens.......?
Oh yes! ZANU-Poof is truly "empowering" it's people - or maybe just "empowering" ZANU-Poof "people" to the detriment of Zimbabweans........
Who coud blame the "intelligent" people of Zimbabwe for fleeing their hopelessly dysfunctional state!
Some day, Zimbabwe will be truly "totally empowered" and not just mouthing empty liberation-era slogans that have no meaning for the people.
ZANU-Poof............... your time is coming........... Zimbabweans will NOT forget what you have subjected them to............. your day of reckoning approaches........
"Total Empowerment!"
Someday the only ones left in Zimbabwe will be the 10,000 or so scum that are milking off Mugabes teet. The rest will be migrant workers extracting the wealth from the land for their masters. They may be Zimbabwean but they will not have any rights as citizens. There will be no schools or hospitals. The only people that matter can afford to go to other countries.
That is the Zany PF ultimate fantasy.