“Finally, Hope for Lecturers”: President Approves Long-Awaited Salary Boost
After years of lobbying for better pay, university lecturers and staff have received a major breakthrough following the President’s approval of a new salary structure.
The development was announced by Professor Fanuel Tagwira, Permanent Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development, during oral submissions to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education as part of the 2026 National Budget consultations.
Although the salary structure has been endorsed at the highest level, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, led by Professor Mthuli Ncube, is yet to release the funds needed for implementation.
“What we have done is incorporate the salaries approved by His Excellency into our proposed budget,” said Professor Tagwira, indicating that the ministry has made provisions but awaits disbursement.
The ministry is seeking over ZiG46 billion to fully fund its operations, which include the new salary structure and ongoing infrastructure projects under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).
Professor Tagwira stressed that the funding is essential, especially given the recent expansion of tertiary institutions and the growing demand for improved operational capacity.
“The approval of salaries for university staff is a critical development. It aligns with our commitment to improving the quality of education and supporting our educators,” he said.
The salary adjustments are expected to address long-standing concerns over lecturer remuneration, which has been a recurring issue raised by academic staff across institutions.
In addition to the salary review, the Government is rolling out plans to strengthen teacher training by establishing colleges for secondary school educators in all provinces.
This move will involve repurposing existing institutions that currently train only primary school teachers.
To support this expansion, the ministry will invest in new infrastructure and upgrade existing facilities.
“As part of this initiative, we will be opening a new college in Mhangura and transforming some colleges that currently train only primary school teachers to also train secondary school teachers,” Professor Tagwira said.
According to Chronicle, Professor Tagwira also addressed historical financial challenges faced by the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef), which had previously struggled to remain operational.
“In 2018, Zimdef was almost non-operational and even borrowing for salaries. However, it is now fully operational, and we are ensuring that its resources are exclusively used for teaching and infrastructure development,” he noted.
The ministry’s ability to stretch limited resources was demonstrated by the successful completion of the MSU Law School.
Despite receiving only ZiG8 billion from the Government last year, the project was completed through strategic fundraising efforts.
Professor Tagwira said the achievement reflects the ministry’s commitment to delivering results even under tight financial conditions.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Josiah Makombe, welcomed the ministry’s proposals and pledged to lobby for increased funding.
He emphasized that meaningful development cannot be achieved under current budget constraints and called for transparency in the use of public funds.
“Development cannot be achieved under current budget constraints,” Dr Makombe said, adding that accountability will be key once the proposed budget is approved.
