Nyore Madzianike, Harare Bureau
THE Government has taken a significant step towards improving the financial welfare of university lecturers and staff, following the approval of a new salary structure by President Mnangagwa.
The development was announced yesterday by the Permanent Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira, during his oral submissions to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, as part of the 2026 National Budget consultations at Parliament Building.
Professor Tagwira confirmed that although the President has approved the new salary structure, the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has yet to release the funds.
“What we have done is factor in the salaries that His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) approved in our proposed budget,” he stated.
The announcement comes at a time when the ministry requires over ZiG46 billion to fully fund its operations.
This funding will not only cover the new salary structure but also support ongoing construction projects under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP). The financial support is particularly crucial in light of the recent expansion of tertiary institutions and the need to enhance their 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,” Professor Tagwira said.
The salary adjustments are intended to address long-standing concerns regarding the remuneration of lecturers, who have consistently advocated for improved pay.
In addition to the salary approval, the Government plans to establish teacher training colleges for secondary school educators across all provinces. Some existing primary school teacher training institutions will be transformed to accommodate this initiative, in line with a resolution from the 22nd Zanu-PF People’s Conference.
“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.
This expansion will necessitate an increase in the PSIP budget, further highlighting the need for adequate funding. The Permanent Secretary also addressed historical challenges faced by the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef), which had previously struggled financially.
“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 is exemplified by recent projects, such as the completion of the MSU Law School. Professor Tagwira pointed out that despite receiving only ZiG8 billion from the Government last year for MSU, the law school was successfully built through effective fundraising efforts.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Josiah Makombe, expressed support for the ministry’s initiatives. He pledged to lobby for increased funding to ensure the successful implementation of the new salary structure and other educational projects.
Dr Makombe emphasised that development cannot be achieved under current budget constraints and reiterated the importance of accountability within the ministry once the proposed budget is approved.
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