As cost of living hits US$644.....
Dylan Murambgi
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has floated a US$175 salary offer to teachers in a bid to end the worst industrial action confronting his administration.
Currently, teachers are earning around ZWL$26 000 plus a US$75 Covid19 allowance despite the cost of living having surged to US$644,06 per month ,according to Consumer Council of Zimbabwe latest statistics.
Prices of basic services and commodities have sustained an upward spiral leaving the country’s teachers finding it difficult to make ends meet.
In a major climb down following an earlier decision by government to suspend and cut off striking teachers from the payroll, Mnangagwa instructed his subordinates to issue a statement outlining new salary offers late Tuesday evening.
He said the new offer was reached after being briefed on the appeal made by the Apex Council during negotiations in the National Joint Negotiating Council’s crisis meeting.
“We have agreed to settle for a 20% increase in Zim$ salary component backdated to January 1 2022 will be implemented across the board.
“A US$100 per month in hard currency will be paid to every civil servant with effect from the 1st of March 2022. This will be done through the conversion of a corresponding Zim$ salary amount into hard currency of US$175,”he said in a statement.
Other non-monetary benefits offered included the introduction of an advance award ,which recognises seniority for differentiation within the same grade to be implemented across the entire civil service sectorally.
Government also committed to pay school fees of up to three biological children per teaching family , with an upper limit of $20 000 per child per term paid directly to the school, construction of 34 000 housing units over a five years period as institutional amenities for teachers within the school premises.
A commitment was aIso made for the mplementation of a housing loan guarantee scheme to facilitate home ownership by civil servants, provision of a transport facility to ferry teachers in both rural and urban areas.
Teachers were also allowed to import vehicles duty free but not to dispose them before three years.
