Government’s decision to recruit 2 000 teachers this year has exposed the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe’s education sector, where schools are struggling with an...
Government’s decision to recruit 2 000 teachers this year has exposed the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe’s education sector, where schools are struggling with an estimated shortage of between 20 000 and 30 000 educators.
Speaking in Parliament, Public Service minister Edgar Moyo admitted that while government wants all schools adequately staffed, recruitment depends on funding approved by Treasury.
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“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education was to employ about 2 000 additional teachers. I am sure the recruitment is currently ongoing and that may not be enough, but that is what Treasury has provided for,” Moyo said.
The announcement comes at a time when public schools across the country are battling staff shortages, poor learning conditions and declining examination results. Some schools have reportedly recorded zero pass rates, raising concerns over the quality of education being delivered.
Teacher unions argue that the recruitment drive is too small to make a meaningful difference, especially after thousands of educators reportedly left the profession due to poor salaries and difficult working conditions.
According to teacher unions, many educators have migrated to countries such as South Africa and Botswana in search of better opportunities, while others have abandoned teaching altogether.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe leader Obert Masarure said the 2 000 posts do not even replace the teachers who left the sector in 2025 alone.
“Our schools are seriously understaffed and our underpaid teachers are carrying unbearable workloads,” Masarure said.
Parliament also heard that thousands of trained teachers who completed their studies in 2018 and 2019 are still unemployed despite the growing shortages in schools.
Moyo said employment depends on demand and available funding, adding that subjects such as mathematics and science remain difficult to staff because qualified teachers are in short supply.
The education sector continues to face mounting pressure as teachers struggle with low salaries that have been heavily eroded by inflation and currency instability. Many educators now reportedly struggle to afford transport, rent and other basic necessities.
Analysts warn that unless government significantly increases investment in education and improves conditions for teachers, Zimbabwe risks further deterioration in learning outcomes and the collapse of an education system once regarded as one of the strongest in Africa.
