It is 11:30 am in a classroom at Seke 3 Primary School in Chitungwiza, a town approximately 30km from the capital Harare, Zimbabwe. Innocent Kamba, a 48 year old Grade 6 teacher goes through a magazine whilst children play games- making noise, as they have not been tasked to do anything since early morning.  Kamba does not seem to be worried about it as he goes out of the classroom to join a social discussion involving fellow workmates sharing a packet of maputi (corn).

Zimbabwe School Students

Teachers at the school arrive for work anytime they feel like with most of them showing up at 9.00am instead of 7.00am. A teacher can also knock-off anytime and is not subject to being questioned by anyone including the school head. Pupils can go for two days without proper lessons. This is what most schools in Zimbabwe have become.

Teachers are still not happy with new salaries awarded to them recently prompting them to absond classes whilst some are even quitting the profession. The lowest paid teacher now earns around $14 million, up from about $2,4 million and the highest paid gets slightly over $24 million from about $5 million.

"After tax, Iam left with only close to $9 million, which is equivalent to 9 bars of washing soap. The salary is just too little and I can barely do anything taking into consideration that I have to buy food for my family, pay bills and school fees, among other things," said Kamba.

Other teachers at the school emphasised it is now an eye for an eye situation whereby they are now working according to the amount of the salaries tney are receiving.

A survey by The Zimbabwe Gazette reveal that around the country, there are a lot of teaching vaccancies especially in peri-urban and rural areas where teaching conditions are known to be very poor

According to a survey by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), 7 200 teachers have since left the country since January this year in frustration over low pay and working conditions. This is 44 percent more than the 5 000 teachers who left the country in the whole of last year.

Most of the teachers had sought employment in Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Swaziland whilst some are now aiming for greener pastures in Mozambique.

Kamba indicates he has been in the teaching proffession for 22 years now and has witnessed the deteriration of the country's education system especially through under-paying teachers.

"I always had teaching in my heart, but not for this country anymore. I am also one of the lucky teachers who do not foot any transport costs as I just walk to work. I cannot imagine having to fork out bus fare from my salary."

"Anywhere, I am also looking forward to go search for employment either in South Africa or Mozambique. I cannot retire now because if I do so, my family will starve to death as the pension monthly benefits are around $400 000 a month," he said.

The staffing shortage in schools coupled with absconding of duties has led to disturbances of pupils especially those who are writing their final year examinations.

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