By Staff Reporter
Harare – More than 4,500 citizens have signed the #SaveOurEducationZw petition, demanding urgent reforms in Zimbabwe’s education sector, including a $US200 poverty alleviation allowance for teachers.
The petition, launched by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), reflects widespread support for the education community’s call for better conditions and equitable access to quality education.
In a Wednesday statement ARTUZ, said the petition highlights several key demands, including the provision of the $US200 allowance for teachers to address their immediate financial struggles, increased government funding for education, and measures to tackle the growing inequalities in resource distribution between rural and urban schools.
“The provision of a $US200 poverty alleviation allowance for teachers to address their immediate financial challenges.
“Increased budgetary support for education to alleviate the burden on struggling parents and schools.
“Measures to combat inequalities in resource allocation between rural and urban schools,”read the ARTUZ statement.
ARTUZ has also organized 32 teach-outs across the country, where dedicated educators have taken lessons to community spaces, homes, and streets.
This initiative has allowed education to continue despite the ongoing crisis, showcasing the resilience and commitment of Zimbabwe’s teachers.
These teach-outs have become a symbol of the determination to ensure learning persists, even outside traditional classrooms.
The union stressed that the deteriorating state of the education system requires immediate intervention, urging all citizens, parents, and students to join the movement by signing the petition and participating in ongoing campaign activities.
“We urge all citizens, parents, students, and stakeholders to join this movement.
“Signing the petition and participating in campaign activities are small but significant steps toward a brighter future for our children,” read the statement.
“To the government, we reiterate, the plight of teachers and the deterioration of the education system cannot be ignored.
“The time to act is now. Zimbabwe’s future rests on an education system that empowers, uplifts, and inspires,” the statement continued.
ARTUZ said it remains committed to ensuring that the voices of educators, parents, and students are heard by policymakers and pressing for reforms that will restore dignity to the education sector and create a more equitable learning environment for all Zimbabweans.