In a desperate bid for change, a group of teachers recently visited President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s offices, pleading for intervention over their abysmal salaries and working conditions. Despite not meeting the President, they submitted a scathing petition that paints a grim picture of the education sector under Mnangagwa’s watch.
The teachers, represented by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), highlighted the dire state of the education system, citing low salaries, poor working conditions, and a lack of respect from the government. They’re demanding a salary hike to at least $540, a figure they earned before October 2018. Some teachers are even calling for a whopping $1,200.
With an average monthly salary of $250, teachers are struggling to make ends meet. The situation has pushed many into debt, drug abuse, divorce, and even suicide. The petition reads: “The poor salaries have pushed many teachers into debt, drug abuse, divorces, suicides, corruption, and other vices.”
The teachers are begging Mnangagwa to intervene and save the education sector from collapse. They’re warning that if something isn’t done, the country’s future is at stake. As the petition states: “Teaching is the maternity ward for all professions in this country, and it is only when the midwives (teachers) are happy that the country can move forward.”
With over 15,000 teachers leaving the profession annually due to poor working conditions, the situation is dire. Will Mnangagwa’s government finally listen to the teachers’ pleas, or will the education sector continue to crumble?
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