Zimbabwe’s education sector is under renewed pressure after Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) President Dr Takavafira Zhou issued a sharp Workers’ Day warning, demanding urgent salary reforms and respect for teachers’ rights.
By Advent Shoko
In a strongly worded May 1 address themed “Respect and Remunerate Teachers Well: Restore their Value and Dignity,” Zhou said teachers have been pushed to the margins, with low pay and poor conditions eroding both morale and service delivery.
“We demand a basic salary of US$540,” Zhou said, outlining a package that includes housing allowances of up to US$300, transport support, education allowances, and rural hardship incentives. He stressed that all payments must be made in a stable, functional currency to shield workers from inflation.
The call comes amid rising tensions across the public sector. Teachers and health workers have recently downed tools, protesting what they describe as “meagre” salary increments introduced in April. While government adjusted wages, largely in ZiG, workers argue the increases are inconsequential against soaring living costs and fall far below pre-October 2018 earnings.
Zhou did not mince his words on labour issues. He accused authorities of undermining constitutional provisions for collective bargaining, describing the current system as “collective begging” under outdated regulations. He also slammed the Public Service Commission’s recent job evaluation exercise as “shambolic,” arguing it unfairly downgraded teachers despite their qualifications, experience, and responsibilities.
Beyond wages, Zhou highlighted a growing national crisis, brain drain. Skilled professionals, including teachers, nurses, and engineers, are leaving Zimbabwe in large numbers in search of better opportunities.
“This is bleeding all sectors and retarding development,” he warned, calling for urgent and lasting interventions to retain talent and promote what he termed “brain circulation.”
He also raised concerns over heavy taxation, saying workers are being squeezed by multiple levies that further reduce already strained incomes. He called for tax relief and higher tax-free thresholds to ease the burden.
Zhou urged workers to unite and organise, warning that fragmentation weakens their bargaining power. He said:
“We need to collectively fight as brothers and sisters or else we will perish as fools.”
As the standoff between government and civil servants deepens, Zhou made it clear that the stakes go beyond salaries.
Well-paid, respected, and motivated teachers, he said, are essential for quality public education, and ultimately, Zimbabwe’s long-term development.
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