Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
As schools open for the third term next week, the Educators’ union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) has intensified its push for improved salaries and working conditions for teachers while strengthening its leadership structures, with newly elected union leaders undergoing orientation at the union’s 2026 annual general conference in Harare.
The conference, held under the theme “Renewed, United and Focused: Building a Resilient Educators’ Movement”, brought together district and provincial leaders from across the country’s 72 districts.
Addressing delegates, EUZ president Mrs Tafadzwa Chikwangwani-Munodawafa said the conference was being used to review the union’s performance over the past year while preparing a new crop of leaders to spearhead recruitment and union activities nationwide.
“This year we are combining our annual conference with a leaders’ orientation. We have a new set of leaders who have been elected into office and we are taking this opportunity to orient and equip them for the betterment of the union,” she said.
Mrs Chikwangwani-Munodawafa said EUZ was focusing on expanding its membership base to strengthen its influence in advocating for educators’ interests.
“Our main thrust is to recruit so that we are more effective. We are equipping our leaders with the necessary skills to ensure that the union is visible in every district despite limited resources,” she said.
She said improving teachers’ remuneration and conditions of service remained the union’s top priority, while also promoting financial empowerment initiatives to help members cope with prevailing economic challenges.
“Our main thrust is to ensure that our members are well remunerated and that their conditions of service improve. Teachers and educators generally do not earn what they ought to earn,” she said.
Mrs Chikwangwani-Munodawafa said the union has introduced savings initiatives, bereavement and retirement schemes to cushion members from financial hardships.
She said although teachers continued to face economic challenges, the union preferred dialogue with authorities over industrial action.
“We continue to pursue other avenues with the relevant ministries and offices so that these issues are resolved before we resort to staying away from the workplace,” she said.
“We hope those in authority will appreciate the pivotal role educators play in national development.”
EUZ secretary-general Mr Tapedza Zhou said the union will also leverage its affiliation to the Education Coalition of Zimbabwe (ECOZI), which recently entered into a partnership with Parliament to advance teachers’ concerns.
He said the arrangement will improve the union’s access to lawmakers and promote evidence-based policymaking on education.
“The partnership gives us easier access to Parliament to present issues affecting teachers, including their welfare, working conditions, accommodation and workloads,” said Mr Zhou.
He said the partnership will also facilitate field visits by legislators to schools to expose them to the realities confronting teachers.
“We will have an opportunity to take lawmakers to the ground so that they witness the state of classrooms, teachers’ houses and other challenges affecting the teaching profession. This will enable them to debate education issues based on first-hand evidence,” he said.
