Teachers who graduated eight years ago in 2018 are still unemployed, yet the Public Service Commission (PSC) is reportedly recruiting teachers who graduated as late as 2026 in breach of the Government’s first-come, first-served policy.
Graduate teachers who completed their training in 2018 wrote a petition dated 27 July 2026 to PSC Secretary Sibusisiwe Zembe, copied to chairman Vincent Hungwe, alleging corruption, nepotism and favouritism in the recruitment process.
They demanded to know what criteria were used that saw 2026 graduates being employed ahead of those who qualified in 2018.
The complaints arose after 329 graduates were recruited last month to fill positions that had arisen in Masvingo Province.
The appointments are confirmed in a letter, seen by the Masvingo Mirror, written by Zembe to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Moses Mhike.
According to the list, one teacher who graduated in 2026 is already employed. The bulk of the recruited teachers graduated between 2023 and 2025, while the list also has one teacher who graduated as far back as 2014.
“It has come to our attention, and to the attention of many concerned teachers, that individuals who registered for teaching posts in 2018 and 2019 have still not been offered employment, despite having waited for several years,” the petitioners wrote.
“We believe this recruitment exercise has been affected by corruption, nepotism and favouritism, rather than being conducted strictly on merit and order of registration.”
The teachers, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of jeopardising their chances of being recruited, claimed the alleged corruption is commonplace in all provinces.
They demanded that the PSC investigate the matter or they would take it up with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Office.
Asked for comment, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said recruitment of teachers is the responsibility of the PSC and referred all questions to the Commission.
“The recruitment process is conducted by the Public Service Commission, which chairs the recruitment committee. While the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is part of the process, the majority of the selection is done by the PSC. Our role is mainly to endorse the process,” said Ndoro.
Zembe’s mobile phone went unanswered.
Graduate teachers face an unemployment crisis in Zimbabwe, with some remaining on the market for nearly 12 years. Most eke a living as vendors, while large numbers are doing menial jobs in South Africa and Botswana.
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