More Than 5,000 Zimbabwe Teachers Quit In 2023, Unions Say Real Figure Is 15,000
More than 5,000 teachers left the classroom in 2023 due to low wages and worsening work conditions, according to official data. But unions say the figure is much higher — and warn that the country’s education system is crumbling.
“We are bleeding. The teaching profession is no longer sustainable,” said the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) in a statement last month.
Thousands walk away from chalkboards
NewsDay reports that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education confirmed that 5,217 teachers left the service last year. This includes 2,109 resignations and 2,866 retirements.
But PTUZ claims the actual number is three times higher.
“Our data shows that 15,000 teachers walked away in 2023 alone,” the union said.
“This is not just attrition, this is an exodus.”
Ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro admitted the sector is under pressure but said the government is doing its best.
“Teacher welfare remains a priority,” he said.
“There have been regular salary reviews, including a recent 10% increase and a US$300 (R5,520) monthly supplement.”
He also cited 2,800 new classrooms built in 2024 and expanded housing schemes for teachers.
Despite this, most teachers earn an average of US$250 (R4,600) per month and about ZiG3,000 — far below the US$540 (R9,950) they made before October 2018.
Not just about money
Ndoro said the ministry’s data showed teachers left for several reasons.
“Family relocation accounted for 42%, health and personal reasons for 31%, career change for 18%, and remuneration concerns for only 9%,” he said.
But PTUZ strongly disagreed.
“This is not just about relocation. Teachers are living in poverty and working under impossible conditions,” said PTUZ president Dr Takavafira Zhou.
“Many are migrating to South Africa, Botswana, and even the Middle East.”
Ndoro said the ministry values teachers’ input.
“We welcome documented cases and are committed to dialogue through the National Joint Negotiating Council,” he said.
“Quality education requires a collective effort. We salute our diligent teachers.”
Pleas reach the highest office
PTUZ recently dispatched a delegation to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office, appealing for urgent intervention.
“We have also petitioned Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube,” said Zhou.
“We need more than words. We need a living wage.”
The dispute highlights a deepening crisis in Zimbabwe’s public education system, with rural schools particularly hard hit by the departures.
The unions warn that if conditions don’t improve, even more educators will leave the country.
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The post ‘We Are Bleeding’: Over 5,000 Zimbabwe Teachers Flee Profession Over Poor Pay and Harsh Conditions appeared first on iHarare News.
