Zimbabwean teachers declare “incapacitation” as schools reopen for term 3

HARARE-(MaraviPost)-Zimbabwean teachers have declared themselves “incapacitated” and will report to work just three days a week as schools reopened on Tuesday for the third term, citing an unresolved salary crisis that has left many unable to afford basic needs.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) formally notified the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of the action this week.

The union said members will dedicate the remaining two days to income-generating activities to support their families.

“This is not a call to abandon education. It is a warning that teachers cannot continue working full-time on salaries that cannot sustain them,” ARTUZ said in a statement.

The union is demanding a minimum basic salary of US$1,260, which it says is required to uphold teachers’ dignity and provide a living wage.

The current civil service salaries are paid partly in Zimbabwean dollars and partly in US dollars, but unions argue the total is far below the poverty line for a family of five.

Schools across the country reopened Tuesday amid concerns that the reduced teacher presence will disrupt learning, particularly in rural areas where ARTUZ has its largest membership.

ARTUZ said the decision was “necessitated by the failure” of government to address years of eroded earnings amid high inflation and a rising cost of living.

Teachers in Zimbabwe have staged repeated protests and job actions since 2019 over pay and conditions.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education had not responded to the incapacitation notice by the time of publication.

“Government must act. Teachers deserve a living wage. Learners deserve a functioning education system,” the union added.

Zimbabwe’s education sector employs more than 130,000 teachers.

Previous rounds of industrial action have led to school closures and reliance on parents to pay extra fees to top up teacher salaries.

The government has previously said it does not have the fiscal space to meet union demands and has urged teachers to remain patient as the economy recovers.

With the third term now underway, parents and education advocates are watching to see whether negotiations resume or if the reduced timetable will become the new normal for Zimbabwe’s classrooms.