“Vaforomani” by the late System Tazvida blared from the public announcement system at the University of Zimbabwe, encapsulating the struggles of the lecturers on Tuesday morning.
The yesteryear song, a hard-hitting social commentary, challenges those in authority to acknowledge the plight of the working class by improving their conditions.
These sentiments mirror the grievances of University of Zimbabwe (UZ) lecturers, who have now spent 42 days on strike, marked by picketing at the institution.
UZ lecturer and renowned author Memory Chirere told NewZimbabwe.com that their current salaries have left them at the mercy of poverty.
“Our strike is for the demand of a better salary. An ordinary lecturer is getting less than US$229 a month, which is far too little compared to what we used to receive before 2018. We cannot pay our bills, feed our families, or send our children to school,” said Chirere.
The lecturers, under the Association of University Teachers (AUT), have been locked in a dispute with UZ, demanding that their grievances be addressed.
However, the university has remained mum, threatening to abandon academic processes as lecturers remain resolute.
Chirere warned that if the situation remains unresolved, UZ risks cancelling graduation due to the ongoing impasse.
“What this means is, since we have been out for over a month, there will not be exams for the students because they have not been taught. It also means there may well be no graduation this year.
“The exams for Block Two have not been processed. The teaching for Block Three has not taken place, and the teaching for Block Four has not taken place. The university is still at a standstill,” said Chirere.
Lecturers are demanding salaries of US$2,500, which they argue are in line with other higher education institutions in Southern Africa.
An AUT spokesperson told NewZimbabwe.com that their situation is worsened by the lack of essential teaching tools, forcing them to use personal equipment.
“The issues are quite numerous. At UZ, from time immemorial, this has been a huge challenge—worse under the current vice-chancellor. We have now adopted Education 5.0, which requires a big chunk of online teaching and adapting to global trends.
“They have not provided tools of the trade. For example, we do not have computers issued for work. There are no smartphones, and we do not have data.
“The other issue is the working environment itself. UZ administration is dictatorial. There is no platform for engagement,” said Obvious Vengeyi, the AUT spokesperson.
In response, UZ has taken a heavy-handed approach, suspending striking lecturers and reportedly recruiting replacement staff at US$3 per hour.
According to AUT, the newly hired staff are insufficient to cater to the overwhelming number of students enrolled at the institution.
Chirere expressed concern over the continued silence from UZ leadership, led by Vice-Chancellor Paul Mapfumo.
“What worries us is that there seems to be no response from the responsible authorities within the University of Zimbabwe about our plight,” said Chirere.
NewZimbabwe.com
