Government slashes student teacher allowances

Student teachers are up in arms with Government after their monthly allowances where drastically chopped from $329 to $157.

Taking into account fees paid to various colleges, students could be taking home below $100.

They were paid on Tuesday their July salaries.

The students said the move to slash their allowances by close to half would derail the teacher training programme as they would not have money for transport and to buy materials required for studies.

According to reports, they complained as to why student nurses and those on training in the police and armed forces were not affected.

"We do not know what has changed in our circumstances because when you look at it, things are now worse for students.

"When you are on teaching practice, you are expected to buy material for use when you return to college. Moreover, you are supposed to buy clothes to look presentable," said student from Chitungwiza.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Prisca Mupfumira in November last year  announced that government would slash student teachers' allowances and stop financing private and trust schools as a strategy to save close to $72 million.