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Zimbabwe teachers demand US$1,200 salary
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As the global community observes World Teachers Day, teachers in Zimbabwe are intensifying their calls for a salary increment that would raise their monthly earnings to at least US$1,200. Currently, educators receive no more than US$350 per month, significantly below the food poverty line (FPL) of over US$500, compounded by a weakening local currency and a deteriorating economy.
In a statement released by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union (ARTUZ) to mark the occasion, the labor organization urged the government to review teacher salaries to provide a living wage that covers essential needs and allows for savings. "ARTUZ calls upon the employer to review salaries and pay a fair wage that enables teachers to cater for basics and have savings. A minimum of US$1,260 is all that teachers are demanding," the statement emphasized.
This year's World Teachers Day theme, "Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education," resonates with ARTUZ's ongoing struggle for better working conditions. The union criticized the government for allegedly prioritizing plots against its leaders over improving the welfare of educators.
The statement comes in the wake of a troubling incident involving ARTUZ's secretary-general, Robson Chere, who was forcibly removed from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, subsequently subjected to torture, and later abandoned at Harare Central police station.
"The state is urged to stop the relentless attack on ARTUZ and focus on protecting the freedom of association of ARTUZ teachers," the statement declared.
ARTUZ also condemned the ongoing state-sponsored harassment of its members, citing office raids, abductions, torture, and the wrongful suspension and discharge of teachers as indicative of a broader pattern of repression. The union's president, Obert Masaraure, has similarly faced state violence in the past.
As teachers across Zimbabwe rally for their rights, the call for equitable compensation reflects the broader economic struggles facing the nation, with educators seeking to ensure that their voices are heard and valued.
In a statement released by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union (ARTUZ) to mark the occasion, the labor organization urged the government to review teacher salaries to provide a living wage that covers essential needs and allows for savings. "ARTUZ calls upon the employer to review salaries and pay a fair wage that enables teachers to cater for basics and have savings. A minimum of US$1,260 is all that teachers are demanding," the statement emphasized.
This year's World Teachers Day theme, "Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education," resonates with ARTUZ's ongoing struggle for better working conditions. The union criticized the government for allegedly prioritizing plots against its leaders over improving the welfare of educators.
The statement comes in the wake of a troubling incident involving ARTUZ's secretary-general, Robson Chere, who was forcibly removed from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, subsequently subjected to torture, and later abandoned at Harare Central police station.
"The state is urged to stop the relentless attack on ARTUZ and focus on protecting the freedom of association of ARTUZ teachers," the statement declared.
ARTUZ also condemned the ongoing state-sponsored harassment of its members, citing office raids, abductions, torture, and the wrongful suspension and discharge of teachers as indicative of a broader pattern of repression. The union's president, Obert Masaraure, has similarly faced state violence in the past.
As teachers across Zimbabwe rally for their rights, the call for equitable compensation reflects the broader economic struggles facing the nation, with educators seeking to ensure that their voices are heard and valued.
Source - NewZimbabwe
