09 February 2022
Prosperity Sikhosana
THE government has responded to incapacitation reasons by teachers for not returning to class at the start of the first term this past Monday by effecting a salary increment to all civil servants which also include a number of non-monetary incentives.
This was announced by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube.
On Monday majority of teachers did not report to school citing incapacitation a move that is threatening to cripple the country’s education sector.
Prof. Ncube revealed that the government has increased teachers’ salaries by 20 percent.
“A 20 percent increase in the Zimbabwean dollar salary component backdated to 1 January 2022 will be implemented across the board, US$100 per month in hard currency will be paid to every civil servant with effect from the 1st of March 2022,” read the statement by Professor Mthuli Ncube.
The Minister further said that this will be done through the conversion of a corresponding Zimbabwe dollar salary into hard currency thereby bringing the foreign currency amount to US$175.
Further addressing the needs of the teachers, Prof. Ncube announced that the government will pay teachers’ children’s school fees of up to Z$20 000 per child per term. The school fees incentive covers three children.
Prof. Mthuli said that there be an introduction an advancement award, which means workers will be graded in terms of academic qualifications and experience.
Prof. Mthuli did not, however, explain how the academics qualifications as well as work experience will be remunerated.
The government has also promised to construct 34 000 housing units over a five year period “as institutional accommodation, including critical amenities for teachers within school premises.”
While this may be a noble idea, the government has failed dismally in constructing proper schools in some rural areas as well as teacher accommodation for many, yet minister Prof. Mthuli embarks on more promises.
Transport to ferry teachers in both rural and urban areas will be made available.
Again the government’s public transporter is failing to cope with urban commuters but the Minister promises to ferry teachers from and to work.
The model to be used in transporting teachers from and to their places of work has not been explained.
The government has also promised the issuance of housing loans for teachers to guarantee home ownership for civil servants.
Some of the demands by teachers have been met especially the payment of school fees for the civil servant’s children.
However, the main bone of contention, the US$540 that the teachers are demading has not been addressed.
Doing calculations on whether this increase is enough, let’s look at it this way:
Assuming one earns Z$30 000 and you add 20% increase, it becomes Z$36 000 in total.
Then, if US$1 is equivalent to Z$120 then US$75 equals Z$9 000. Subtracting that from Z36 000 becomes Z$27 000.
US$100 into Zimbabwe dollar becomes Z$12 000. Subtract that, becomes Z$15 000.
With Z$15 000 you subtract NSSA, PSMAS, Zimta, Nyaradzo Funeral Policy and other loans.
Then there is recurrent expenditure like airtime, rent, bus fare, food and electricity.
In light of this, teachers complained that no change has taken place but instead Mthuli Ncube converted the salary to US dollars from the initial Zimbabwean dollar.
If this is how every teacher views it, then definitely teachers will not be reporting to duty anytime soon.
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