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Zimbabwe Teachers Reject Promised Salary Increase as Far Too Low

Columbus Mavhunga

   HARARE - Zimbabwe's teachers'unions haverejecteda more than 100 %
   salary increase awarded to them as part ofthe government'seffortsto
   re-open schools. The teachers say a promised new salary of about
   $180per monthis still below the poverty line of about $540. Learners
   are spending time alone in classrooms as teachers do informal work.

   At a government primary school in Harare,students were playing outside
   their classrooms withoutsupervision. Teachers have refused to implement
   Zimbabwe's reopening of schools after closing in March due tothe
   coronavirus.

   On Tuesday, the government announced a newmonthlysalary of about $180
   for teachers.

   TkavafiraZhou, president oftheProgressive Teachers Union of
   Zimbabwe,said it was "a high sounding nothing" which was unilaterally
   awarded to them.

   "What workers want is a holistic salary increase that resonates with
   salaries they were earning in 2018 -- salaries that are around $520-to
   $550 U.S.dollars. So as of now the salaries would not allow teachers to
   educate their own children and to ensure that they do all their
   responsibilities as families.So,teachers remain incapacitated,"
   saidZhou.

   "Incapacitated" is a euphemism for Zimbabwe's teachers saying their
   salary is not enough for their basic needs.

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