Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe has expressed profound disappointment with the Finance Ministry`s proposed 2024 budget presentation, citing numerous inadequacies
Speaking to Great Dyke News PTUZ Secretary General Takavafira Zhou highlighted several shortcomings within the budget, noting a few modest achievements such as the conversion of United States Dollar allowances into salaries, which contribute to pension improvements.
However, he stressed the insufficiency of this conversion in sustaining teachers’ livelihoods, given that Zimbabwean dollars convert to a mere thirty US dollars, posing challenges for educators.
Critically analyzing the budget, Nzou emphasized its failure to meet both regional and international standards for the allocation of funds to primary and secondary education. While these standards typically necessitate over twenty percent of the annual budget, the ministry’s allocation merely amounted to around thirteen percent of the country’s budget.
Zhou cautioned that this allocation would not suffice to pay the salaries of the country’s 140,000 teachers and an additional 50,000 required educators. Moreover, he highlighted the inadequacy of the allocation in addressing the nation’s urgent need for more than three thousand schools and the implementation of information technology in rural areas.
The dire situation was underscored by Zhou’s mention that a significant percentage of primary and secondary schools lack electricity—75% and 65%, respectively—thus inhibiting a consistent educational experience and hindering the integration of technology in remote regions.
Lastly, Zhou lamented the budget’s disregard for addressing the healthcare needs of teachers and other ministry workers, criticizing its lack of provisions in this regard.
