By 
The president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Dr Takavafira Zhou says teachers have approached various government sectors for intervention of a salary restoration, but nothing has been done to address the matter.
Zhou states that they have been to parliament, parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Salaries and Conditions of Service for Civil Servants, PSC, and the President’s office, but nothing has materialised.
There has been an ongoing impasse between the government.
Since 2019, teachers have been demanding the restoration of their pre-October 2018 salaries of between US$520 and US$550 or the equivalent in local currency.
In a statement on Thursday, Zhou said the announcement by treasury that Zimbabwe had a budget surplus when teachers and other workers were being paid paltry salaries was an insult, while they have approached every government office in vain.
“Teachers and their families have been too patient for too long a time. We have knocked at every government door, be it parliament, parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Salaries and Conditions of Service for Civil Servants, PSC, and President’s office, but nothing has materialised.”
Zhou added It is clear the government is gambling with teachers’ welfare and lives.
“ The treatment of teachers in a degrading, discriminatory, dehumanizing, and servitude manner is unacceptable, more so at a time when other civil servants with fewer qualifications and responsibilities are getting a better deal. “
Teachers have since threatened to go on strike to force the government to reverse its no-work no-salary policy against its workers who are claiming incapacitation.
Government in April affected a 25% salary hike on teachers’ salaries this month, which saw the highest-paid teacher earning $22 000, but unions rejected the increment.
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