Zimbabwe: Teachers on strike for a living wage
Teachers who are members of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) are demanding a 150 per cent pay rise and an end to the violence which is meted out to them by government supporters.
Teachers in Zimbabwe currently earn approximately US$200 a month but are demanding a pay increase to US$500 which is the amount required by a typical family of five just to live, and would help salaries keep up with exorbitant levels of inflation.
Despite threats of violence to some teachers who went on strike, PTUZ said that the strike call was well supported.
EI Chief Regional Coordinator, Assibi Napoe, said: “You cannot expect teachers to deliver quality education when they need to focus on finding bread and means of subsistence for their families.
“EI urges the Zimbabwean authorities to meet teachers’ demands and ensure quality education for all students in this country. In times of economic crisis, teachers’ salaries must not be cut to a level that is inadequate for them and their families to live off. It is jeopardising education and society’s future! Fair terms and conditions are the answer.”
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