Teachers’ Unions Renew Salary Demands as Schools Reopen

Teachers’ unions in Zimbabwe renew salary demands as schools reopen, warning of possible disruption if government fails to review pay and allowances for educators (image source)

Teachers’ unions have renewed pressure on government with fresh salary review demands as schools reopened this week, raising fears of disruption to the first term if the standoff persists.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) has formally requested a salary review and declared teacher incapacitation in a letter dated 12 January 2026 addressed to Education Minister Torerai Moyo, with copies sent to the Finance Ministry and the Public Service Commission. Artuz secretary-general Robson Chere said teachers require a minimum monthly salary of US$1,260, in line with the poverty datum line, plus a US$200 hardship allowance at the start of each term.

“This will enable teachers to afford a living standard that upholds human dignity,” Chere said, warning that many educators may fail to report for duty due to financial incapacitation. He urged government to engage in genuine collective bargaining to ensure a well-funded and functional education system.

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The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) echoed the call for improved remuneration. PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou urged unity among teachers’ unions and other civil servants, warning that failure to assert their rights would entrench marginalisation. “Radicalisation of teachers to triumph over fear, false promises and suffering, let alone fight for better salaries and conditions of service, is no vice,” Zhou said, adding that industrial action should be considered if engagement efforts fail.

Government officials, however, dismissed the renewed demands, maintaining that preparations for the 2026 school year were progressing smoothly. Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said the government’s priority remained uninterrupted learning. “We expect all teachers to report for duty as scheduled, in fulfilment of their professional obligation to the nation’s children,” he said.

With thousands of learners potentially affected, the standoff highlights persistent tensions over pay and working conditions in Zimbabwe’s education sector. Teachers’ unions insist that only decisive action on salaries will avert further disruption, while government maintains that remuneration issues must be resolved through established institutional processes.