A group of teachers under the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) staged a peaceful protest on Monday in Manicaland, demanding better salaries and improved working conditions. The teachers said they are tired of receiving “peanuts” and called on the government to act urgently.
The protest, which took place near schools and local government offices, drew dozens of teachers dressed in union regalia and holding placards with messages like “Restore Dignity to Teaching” and “US$1,260 Now!”
According to ARTUZ, rural teachers in Zimbabwe are currently earning the equivalent of around US$300 per month. The union has been demanding a minimum monthly wage of US$1,260 since 2018, which they say reflects the rising cost of living and the importance of their profession.
Speaking during the protest, one of the teachers said:
“We are sick and tired of the peanuts we are being paid. It is high time we demanded our US$1,260 monthly salary. That money will allow us to feed our families and send our children to school.”
Another protester added:
“The children of the rich and powerful are studying overseas, while ours are dropping out of school. We are not asking for luxuries—just enough to live with dignity and do our job properly.”
The teachers also highlighted several other demands, including:
Meaningful collective bargaining between teachers and the government
Restoration of the three-month vacation leave, which was previously part of their benefits
Paternity leave for male teachers
Improved working conditions in rural schools
They stressed that their demands are not just about money but also about respect and recognition of their professional role in society.
“We are not slaves. We are professionals. Teachers must be treated with dignity,” said another ARTUZ member during the demonstration.
The protest in Manicaland is part of a growing wave of worker discontent in Zimbabwe’s public sector, especially in the education system.
At the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), lecturers have been on a 63-day strike, also demanding salary increases and better conditions. Every week, they stage protests on campus grounds, holding banners and refusing to resume work until their demands are met.
Economic conditions in Zimbabwe remain harsh, with inflation, currency instability, and rising living costs putting pressure on government workers. Many public servants now demand payment in US dollars rather than in Zimbabwe’s local currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG), which remains hard to access in physical form.
Despite recent assurances from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) about the availability of ZWG, many teachers and civil servants say they cannot survive without hard currency because goods and services are still priced mainly in USD.
The ARTUZ leadership said they will continue mobilising teachers across all provinces until their demands are met. They are calling on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, as well as Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, to prioritise teacher welfare in upcoming budget allocations.
“No teacher can work effectively under these conditions. We are ready to teach, but not at the cost of our health, our children’s future, and our dignity,” an ARTUZ official told reporters after the protest.
While the demonstration was peaceful, union leaders warned that if the government does not respond soon, they may escalate actions, including full-scale strikes, which could disrupt schooling for thousands of students in rural areas.
For now, the teachers are hoping their voices have been heard loud and clear—and that their long struggle for fair treatment may finally yield results.
