Teachers across the newly established regions of South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and South west Ethiopia are grappling with severe financial difficulties as salary cuts and delayed payments have become routine, pushing educators to the edge and putting the quality of education at risk.
In multiple zones, including Gamo, Wolaita, and Konso, teachers have received only partial salaries since August 2023, with some educators going entirely unpaid.
Educators report that these financial challenges are eroding their morale and forcing many into low-wage alternative jobs just to make ends meet.
Amanuel Pawlos, President of the Southern Ethiopia Teachers' Association, outlined critical issues plaguing the education sector, including planned salary reductions, disruptions, and unfulfilled promises by regional governments.
"Teachers across Gamo, Wolaita, and Konso zones are facing unprecedented financial hardship," Amanuel told Addis Standard. "While this affects all newly established regions, these areas have been hit particularly hard."
Amanuel reports that in the Humbo district of the Wolaita zone, teachers have gone entirely unpaid, while their colleagues in Kindokoisha and Damot districts receive half their wages. He also noted areas receiving as little as 15% of their regular salaries. Meanwhile, educators in Konso's Segen and Karat districts are still awaiting their July 2024 payments, adding to mounting arrears.
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"We haven't received our full salary since August 2023," said Megtat Girazmach, a veteran teacher with 17 years of service in Ayda district, South Ethiopia. "This extended period without proper compensation has not only devastated our lives but has severely compromised our ability to maintain educational standards."
The financial strain has forced many educators to seek alternative income sources. Teachers across the affected regions have turned to manual labor, including shoe shining and cargo handling, to sustain their families, Amanuel revealed.
A teacher from Demba Gofa district, South Ethiopia Region, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed similar concerns about the financial hardships faced by educators. He explained that the inconsistency in pay, coupled with low salaries, has left many teachers struggling to make ends meet.
"The mismanagement and lack of respect for our basic needs have undermined morale," he said, adding that teachers are demoralized as they are often unable to provide even basic sustenance for themselves and their families.
Teachers' efforts to demand their rightful compensation have sometimes met resistance. According to a recent report by the German broadcaster DW, in Wolaita Zone, a group of teachers advocating for timely salary payments was reportedly detained after collecting signatures and preparing to submit a petition to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
Amanuel also noted unexplained salary deductions, explaining, "While the federal government allocates funds to the regions, these resources do not always reach the teachers as intended."
Amanuel added, "Teachers are overworked, underpaid, and poorly equipped. This leads to low student achievement, high dropout rates, and a lack of critical thinking skills."
