Once again teachers come last in the pecking order of importance in receiving salaries, as compared to the rest of the civil servants, receiving their August salaries in September.
Government yesterday disclosed the August pay dates for civil servants with a significant improvement on the timelines compared to previous months.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira yesterday said members of the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe would be paid on August 23.
Those in the health sector will be paid on August 26, followed by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and prison officers on August 30. Teachers will get their dues on September 2, while the rest of the civil service will be paid on Sep- tember 5. Pensioners will receive their pay outs on September 9.
“It is a fact that we have revenue challenges but as promised, we have managed to bring forward the pay dates for most of the workers except for teachers who received their July salaries on August 2 and for this month they will be paid on September 2,” she said.
“Just as said by President Mugabe during the Heroes Day commemorations that mechanisms are being developed to ensure workers get their salaries on the traditional pay dates, we are working day and night to improve and meet this target. We thank Treasury for working to ensure these improvements come. September dates will be availed as soon as modalities are in place because we want the workers, whom we treasure so much, to concentrate on service delivery.”
Government payment plans went off rail in June due to revenue challenges and efforts are now being made to revert to the traditional pay dates. Apex Council team leader Mrs Cecilia Alexander said while there was a significant improvement, Government should work towards bringing normalcy in the civil service.
“There has been some slight improvement in some sectors but in some areas, Government has maintained the same dates,” she said.
“No sector is in a worse situation compared to last month. We expected the dates for all sectors to fall within the month of June and we are calling upon the powers that be to take this issue seriously and bring normalcy as it affects the economic cycle of civil servants. This matter has been discussed at the NJNC and we shall continue to formally engage our employer.”