Staff Reporter
Civil servants including teachers have welcomed the improved package announced yesterday by Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube that was meant to cushion them.
The package include a 20 percent increament across the board backdated to January 1, with the equivalent of US$100 of this in foreign currency from next month, school fees support and 34 000 flats to be built in school grounds over five years.
“It is a welcome development by Government and we really appreciate the increment they have offered. Although we were anticipating more, we have hope that our listening President will continue to look into the issue of civil servants salaries and address our challenges. The development is, however, a positive step in the right direction,” said Mr Kudzanai Mureza, a teacher from Mashonaland West.
Another teacher from Mashonaland East, Miss Patricia Gumede said the housing flats for teachers proposed by the Government would go a long way in cushioning them from exorbitant rentals being charged by land lords. She added that the non-monetary incentives which include provision of transport and free car import duty for teachers were highly welcomed.
The directive to review the salaries for civil servants and their living conditions was made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa after an appeal by the Apex Council during talks at the National Joint Negotiating Council for a review of Government`s offer on the remuneration and other conditions of service.
On top of the 20 percent salary increment, the Government also introduced an advancement award, which recognises seniority for differentiation within the same grade to be implemented across the entire civil service, which will see experienced members in a particular grade receiving more than the recently hired.
Non-monetary benefits will also include payment of school fees for up-to three biological children per teaching family with an upper limit of ZWL$20 000 per child per term to be paid directly to the school. Government also announced that it will build 34 000 housing units and 2 125 blocks of flats which will be done over a period of five years with a view to easy accommodation crisis in schools.
“The implementation of housing loan guarantee scheme to facilitate home ownership by civil servants, the provision of a transport facility to ferry teachers in both rural and urban areas, teachers will be allowed to import vehicles duty free but will not dispose them before the expiry of three years,” said Minister Ncube.
Minister Ncube added that Government remained committed to continue improving the conditions of service for teachers and the entire civil service as the economy improves.
However, a few disgruntled teachers who are activists aligned to some opposition political parties were unrepentant in their efforts to sow seeds of disharmony in the education sector, and were quick to turn down the Government offer.
