Parliamentarian describes educators as “paupers” unable to afford medical care
Teachers in Zimbabwe have been reduced to “paupers” who cannot afford basic medical care, according to a member of parliament who has called for urgent government action.
Leslie Mhangwa, MP for Chinhoyi, told the House of Assembly on Tuesday that educators were “dying in their numbers” due to paltry salaries that barely cover necessities.
“I have buried, in my constituency, more than three to four senior educators and in each case, there was a struggle before the death, to raise medical bills,” Mr Mhangwa said.
The stark warning comes as Zimbabwe grapples with ongoing economic challenges that have severely impacted public sector wages.
Government teachers in Zimbabwe currently earn a minimum of US$200 and 1,200 Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) per month, depending on their grade. This amount, Mr Mhangwa argues, is woefully inadequate.
The MP recounted a visit to a local school where a teacher confided, “How can the children respect me when I turn into a vendor during break time?”
This situation, he stressed, is undermining the dignity and status of the teaching profession.
“The teacher needs to be seen. The teacher needs his status reinstated,” Mr Mhangwa implored his fellow legislators.
The impassioned plea came just days after World Teachers’ Day, celebrated globally on 5 October. Mr Mhangwa used the timing to highlight the disconnect between celebratory messages and the harsh realities faced by educators on the ground.
Speaker of the House, Jacob Mudenda, responded by promising to forward the concerns to the Ministers of Education. He also expressed hope that the establishment of a Professional Teacher’s Council would provide an additional avenue for addressing these issues.
### Wider Implications
The financial struggles of teachers in Zimbabwe reflect broader economic challenges facing the country. With inflation rates remaining high and the local currency continuing to lose value, many public sector workers are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.
As the government grapples with these economic headwinds, the plight of teachers serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of financial instability. The coming weeks may prove crucial in determining whether concrete action will be taken to address this growing crisis in the education sector.