Government has released pay dates for civil servants with the teachers and others set be paid from December 28 onwards.

According to the notice, only the soldiers, police officers, nurses and prison officers will receive their salaries before Christmas on December 21.

Teachers will receive their salaries three days after the Christmas while the rest of the civil servants will be paid next year on January 2 with the pensioners being paid last on January 6.

Labour and social welfare minister Prisca Mupfumira pleaded with the teachers to understand and accept the situation saying it was the “best the government could do considering revenue challenges being faced”.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association CEO Sifiso Ndlovu told the state media that it was “not a good message from the employer” as government had virtually “postponed Christmas” for their members.It will, however, be the first time for the teachers to be paid within the month worked since May this year.

The development comes after government workers, last week, wrote to their employer asking about their bonus payments. In an interview with Newzimbabwe last week, Mupfumira said she wasn’t sure when the bonuses would be paid.