These are the stories that most retired civil servants in
Zimbabwe live to tell.
Most of the former civil servants relate that since 2007
during the hyperinflation period, everything to do with pension changed and
they lost out their savings and investments.
The value of their pensions, they argue, had become low.
In an exclusive interview with NewsDay recently,
Bulawayo-based retired teacher and veteran educationist Ben Moyo said although
he was luckier than his colleagues, life has been difficult for retired
teachers.
He inherited his late father’s farm and also does part-time
lecturing at Catholic University to eke a living.
He also revealed that the US$30 that he earns as pension is
frustrating and cannot meet the needs of an individual, not even the whole
family.
“Employers and the government must look after their
employees even after retirement. The Zimdollar payment they are getting is
peanuts, the economy is hostile.
“On the contribution by the employers even after the person
has retired, there is a need for a constant review. The peanuts we are getting
are not sustainable.
“Sometimes we get US$30 and what can you buy with US$30?
The rates for the houses we live in are very high? So, yes, there is a
challenge and the employer has an obligation to look after the employees right
now.”
He also argued that government was spending too much on
luxuries for officials.
Moyo said he started off as a temporary teacher in 1980 and
became a trained teacher in 1983.
“I have seen dramatic changes in the education system.
During our time, when you graduated, you were assessed for permanence in the
system for two years on probation.
“That has changed. I am nostalgic for that because the
teacher was groomed before he/she began permanent work. That was exciting,”
Moyo said.
He lamented changes made to the curriculum after the
government moved from the Cambridge General Certificate of Education to the
Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec).
“The standards have deteriorated. Our examinations have
lost credibility. There are constant leaks in the system and Zimsec has become
a big joke.
“We have seen the government introduce Cala [Continued
Assessment Learning Activity] as it reviewed the curriculum. What I find
surprising is that during the review, parents were constant in rejecting the
idea, but the government went on and on against them. That is not right,” Moyo
said.
He said professionalism among teachers had declined due to
the low salaries they earn, adding that they should not be using public
transport.
“They are lodgers in the houses of parents of the children
they teach, so how can they be respected? There is so much that I think has
changed for the worse,” he said.
Moyo also bemoaned the decline in the education sector due
to underfunding by government.
He said Zimbabwe was part of the declaration which was
ratified by countries that committed themselves to allocating 20% of their
budget to education, but the country was far from meeting that threshold.
Moyo said Treasury allocated 13% of the budget to
education.
“I also find it strange that the government has not
honoured its obligation to pay Basic Education Assistance Module funds for the
past two years.
“Education is in comatose because the government is not
releasing money it should be putting. I also think that the government is
reneging on its constitutional mandate rendering education to be in this
state,” he said.
The former educationist said the future was bleak for
teachers still serving unless the economy transforms and becomes more
productive to enable their contribution to the National Social Security
Authority to sustain them.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
secretary-general Takemore Mhlanga bemoaned the teachers’ meagre pensions.
He said the pensions were stressful, adding that they could
not sustain families even for a month.
“The teachers’ pensions cannot sustain their lives, if you
compare it to the current cost of living and standard cost of goods. The
pension cannot sustain their monthly needs.
“For example, just recently, a teacher who served for 35
years retired and was given about ZWL$2 million, which is far below what he
contributed as pension for the rest of his service.
“Government must be humane enough to pay teachers
reasonable pensions, especially those who retire now, they must be paid in US
dollars. There is no need to pay them the money that they know does not take
them anywhere.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Matabeleland
South co-ordinator Urgent Moyo said government should respect its workers and
restore the dignity of pensioners.
“Pensioners are no longer the pensioners we used to know a
long time ago. The government must respect its workers and pay them a living
salary while at the same time paying them handsomely when they retire,” he
said.
“It is sad that when a teacher retires, he/she becomes
destitute and dies suddenly because of stress. Many teachers become destitute
when they retire and soon die because of stress. Government must take care of
its workers.”
The PTUZ official accused authorities of investing
teachers’ pensions in buildings, but fail to pay the pensioners.
Moyo, the retired teacher, is secretary for education in
the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association and is a member of the Goat
Farmers Association in Matabeleland South.
He started full-time teaching in 1983 and was a headmaster for 35 years. He headed a government, mission and private schools. Newsday
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