The Government has announced a 20 per cent salary increase backdated to 1 January 2022 for teachers and civil servants.
This comes a day after teachers boycotted classes across the country, demanding a pay rise.
The Government has also announced non-monetary benefits for teachers which include paying school fees for up to three biological children.
This, however, falls short of teachers’ demands. The educators have been pushing for the restoration of their pre-2018 salaries which were pegged at US$540 per month.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services on Tuesday evening read:
GOVERNMENT STATEMENT ON THE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR TEACHERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS
His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa, after being briefed on the appeal made by the Apex Council during negotiations in the National Joint Negotiating Council for a review of the Government’s offer on the improvement of remuneration and other conditions of service, has directed that specific measures be implemented forthwith as follows:
Monetary benefits:
1. A 20 per cent increase in the Zimbabwe Dollar salary component backdated to 1 January 2022 will be implemented across the board;
2. USD 100, per month in hard currency will be paid to every civil servant with effect from the 1st of March 2022. This will be done through the conversion of a corresponding Zimbabwe dollar salary amount into hard currency, bringing the foreign currency amount to USD175;
3. The introduction of an advancement award, which recognises seniority, for differentiation within the same grade to be implemented across the entire civil service sectorally.
Non-monetary benefits:
1. Payment of school fees for up to three biological children per teaching family, with an upper limit of ZWL20 000 per child per term, paid directly to the school;
2. Construction of 34 000 housing units (2 125 blocks of flats) over a five-year period as institutional accommodation including critical amenities, for teachers within the school premises.
3. Implementation of a housing loan guarantee scheme to facilitate homeownership by civil servants;
4. Provision of a transport facility to ferry teachers in both rural and urban areas;
5. Teachers to import vehicles duty-free but not to dispose of them before the expiry of three years
Government remains committed to continue improving the conditions of service for teachers and the entire civil service, as the economy improves.