By Fanuel Chinowaita
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has called on the government to allocate at least 20 percent of national public expenditure to education in 2027, warning that delayed funding and inadequate resources are deepening the challenges facing the country’s public schools.
In a statement issued on today, November 2, the teachers’ union said the education sector required an emergency recovery programme, arguing that budgetary commitments were failing to translate into meaningful improvements in classrooms and teachers’ working conditions.
The union’s demands come amid concerns over the utilisation of allocated education funds, with ARTUZ pointing to figures from UNICEF’s 2026 Education Budget Brief showing that overall education budget execution reached only 56 percent by September 2025.
According to the figures cited by ARTUZ, execution of funds for Learner Support Services stood at 23 percent, while current grants recorded 17 percent and social benefits just one percent during the January to September 2025 period.
The union said the figures exposed gaps between government budget commitments and the actual delivery of services to schools, learners and teachers.
“Announcing an allocation does not feed a learner, repair a classroom or pay a teacher. Money that exists only in budget speeches cannot deliver constitutional rights,” ARTUZ said.
It warned that delays in releasing school grants were placing additional financial pressure on parents, particularly those from low-income households, while vulnerable learners risked being excluded from education when support programmes failed to reach schools.
ARTUZ is demanding that the government allocate at least six percent of gross domestic product (GDP) to education, alongside the proposed 20 percent of total public expenditure.
The union is also seeking a minimum monthly teacher remuneration package of US$1,260, with special responsibility, qualifications, hardship and experience allowances paid separately.
It said improved salaries should be accompanied by teacher regrading, professional advancement and enforceable collective bargaining arrangements.
Beyond remuneration, the union has raised concerns about the challenges faced by female teachers with young children, proposing publicly funded childcare facilities in schools, particularly in rural areas.
The proposed facilities would provide trained childcare workers, safe environments and breastfeeding support.
On access to education, ARTUZ wants the government to introduce predictable school grants, settle verified arrears under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) and establish a transition towards fully State-funded basic education.
It said learners should not lose access to lessons, examinations or results because their families cannot afford school fees.
The union has also proposed a school feeding programme providing at least one nutritious meal per day to learners from Early Childhood Development (ECD) to Form Four.
Other demands include free menstrual products, disability support and assistance for pregnant learners and young mothers.
ARTUZ further called for increased teacher recruitment to address staffing shortages and overcrowded classrooms, improved accommodation for rural teachers and investment in professional development, including training in artificial intelligence and robotics.
The union also wants examination-related activities to receive dedicated funding, proposing the recruitment and payment of community invigilators to allow teachers to concentrate on completing the school syllabus.
It said funds for invigilation, project assessments, marking and moderation should be ring-fenced, with agreed payment rates and deadlines.
To finance its proposed education recovery programme, ARTUZ has suggested establishing a Public Education Emergency Recovery Fund, supported by contributions from major mineral producers, exceptional mining profits, large profitable companies and high-net-worth individuals.
However, the union cautioned against shifting the financial burden onto ordinary citizens through additional education levies or increased taxes on basic necessities, everyday transactions and remittances.
It said the proposed fund should complement existing government education allocations rather than replace them.
ARTUZ is also demanding greater transparency in public education spending, calling on Treasury to publish quarterly disbursement schedules and ensure that school operating grants reach institutions before the start of each term.
It wants annual district-level reports showing how much was allocated, released and spent, as well as the number of new schools completed and made operational.
“Every missed release must carry an explanation and a corrective deadline,” the union said.
The proposals place education funding, teachers’ welfare and the cost of schooling at the centre of the debate ahead of the 2027 National Budget.
For ARTUZ, the challenge is not simply how much government allocates to education, but whether the money reaches schools in time to support teaching and learning.
“Teachers’ working conditions are learners’ learning conditions,” the union said.