Here’s why Rwanda is hiring teachers from Zimbabwe

Rwanda has started a massive recruitment of teachers from Zimbabwe after the two countries signed an agreement early this year. Picture: Rogan Ward/REUTERS

Rwanda has started a massive recruitment of teachers from Zimbabwe after the two countries signed an agreement early this year. Picture: Rogan Ward/REUTERS

Published Aug 4, 2022

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According to a government official in Harare, 491 Zimbabwean teachers have been shortlisted for interviews that will be conducted in the next few days.

Zimbabwe’s Public Service ministry secretary Simon Masanga said Rwanda had requested more professionals from several fields, the Nation.Africa reported.

“The recruitment is being conducted under the auspices of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Zimbabwe and Rwanda on the exchange of skilled personnel between the two countries,” Masanga said.

In Zimbabwe, only 150 000 teachers cater to 4.2 million pupils and the average salary of a teacher is Z$28 800 (just over R2 000 per month).

The minimum requirements for the educators was a bachelor’s degree and post-graduate qualification.

According to Masanga, Rwanda was recruiting competent education personnel to be employed in Rwanda in four categories: basic education, basic TVET (technical and vocational education and training), polytechnic and universities, local media reported.

News website New Zimbabwe reported that the successful candidates were expected to travel to Rwanda in September after undergoing pre-departure training by a team of experts from Zimbabwe and the Embassy of Rwanda to ensure adequate orientation and requisite information is imparted to the Zimbabwean nationals before their deployment.

This week, Rwanda officials announced that it had increased the salaries of primary school teachers by 88% and the salaries of secondary school teachers by 40%.

Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente announced the development on Monday, August 1, while addressing both chambers of parliament on the state of the education sector, Rwandan media reported.

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