Mnangagwa urged to fire non-performing teachers

Matabeleland South Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe has called for the dismissal of non-performing teachers, saying the province should take advantage of the growing pool of unemployed Zimbabwean teachers returning from South Africa.

Nguluvhe said poor academic results in the province could no longer be tolerated, urging education authorities to hold teachers accountable for the performance of their pupils.

He was speaking during the Provincial Schools Sports, Science, Arts Festival (PASSAF) held in Beitbridge two weeks ago.

The minister expressed concern over the province's low pass rates, pointing to the small number of Matabeleland South students graduating from local tertiary institutions as evidence of the challenges facing the education sector.

"Out of 68 students who graduated from Gwanda State University last year, only three were from Mat South," Nguluvhe said.

"We cannot tolerate such."

He said authorities should identify teachers who were not performing and replace them with those willing to work, noting that many Zimbabwean teachers had returned from South Africa and were seeking employment.

"We should identify teachers that are not working, they should pack their bags and go. We have a lot of teachers who want jobs. I saw a lot of teachers who have returned from SA," he said.

"Teachers should work hard so that children will also work hard."

The minister's comments come amid continuing concerns over educational outcomes in Matabeleland South. In 2025, 11 schools in the province recorded a zero percent pass rate at Grade Seven level.

However, teachers' representatives and members of the public have frequently raised concerns over poor conditions of service, arguing that low remuneration and inadequate incentives have affected morale across the education sector.

Teachers reportedly earn an average of about US$250 and ZiG5,500, with statutory and other deductions leaving some workers with take-home pay of around US$200.

The calls for dismissals are therefore likely to fuel debate over whether poor learner outcomes should be attributed primarily to teacher performance or also to broader challenges affecting the education system, including remuneration, working conditions and inadequate resources.

Nguluvhe nevertheless insisted that teachers had a responsibility to ensure that learners received quality education and that poor performance should not be allowed to continue unchecked.