By Staff Reporter
HARARE — The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has mourned the death of a Buhera teacher who died in a mining shaft collapse, describing the tragedy as evidence of the worsening economic hardships forcing educators into dangerous side jobs to supplement their incomes.
In a statement issued on Monday, ARTUZ said Progress Makamani, a teacher at Dune Primary School in Buhera District, died on June 9 after a mining shaft collapsed while he was engaged in artisanal mining.
The union said the educator had turned to mining in search of additional income amid deteriorating living conditions for teachers.
“Mr Makamani lost his life on 9 June 2026 after a mining shaft collapsed while he was engaged in artisanal mining activities in search of supplementary income,” ARTUZ said.
The union added that the teacher’s body remained in a mortuary for several days before burial arrangements could be completed.
While expressing condolences to the family, colleagues and learners, ARTUZ said the incident should not be viewed as an isolated accident.
“As we mourn our colleague, we refuse to treat this as an isolated accident.
“This is a national tragedy born out of the systematic impoverishment of teachers and public sector workers,” the union said.
ARTUZ argued that the death highlighted growing economic pressures facing educators, many of whom have been forced to seek alternative sources of income outside the classroom.
According to the union, findings from its Zimbabwe Teacher Basket of Needs Survey show that teachers are increasingly relying on farming, vending, poultry projects, cross-border trading and other informal economic activities to survive.
“Our findings reveal a profession in deep crisis. Current teacher earnings average between US$200 and US$350 per month, far below the cost of living and below the national poverty line,” ARTUZ said.
The union claimed that 95 percent of teachers surveyed said their salaries were insufficient to meet basic family needs, while nearly 80 percent were burdened by debt.
ARTUZ also alleged that many teachers had turned to high-risk occupations such as artisanal mining due to inadequate earnings.
“The fact that a teacher was forced into such dangerous work is a direct indictment of the economic policies that continue to impoverish public servants,” the union said.
The teachers’ organisation further warned that poor remuneration and working conditions were contributing to the migration of skilled educators to neighbouring countries.
“Every month, hundreds of teachers leave the profession or the country in search of better opportunities,” ARTUZ said, adding that schools were increasingly becoming understaffed while classroom congestion continued to worsen.
The union called on the government to improve salaries and conditions of service for teachers and other public sector workers.
Among its demands, ARTUZ urged authorities to restore teachers’ salaries to “meaningful levels”, move towards a living wage, improve healthcare provision for public servants, introduce transport and energy support measures, and remove what it described as exploitative salary deductions.
“The death of Mr Makamani is not merely a personal tragedy; it is a national indictment of policies that continue to impoverish workers,” the union said.
Government officials had not commented on the allegations raised by ARTUZ at the time of publication.
