Gender Differences in the Migration of Zimbabwean Teachers to South Africa

Abstract

This paper explored the extent to which Zimbabwean professional women have joined the formal sector of South Africa and the determinants of their migration in large or small numbers. It is based on a questionnaire survey conducted in 2012 and involving 200 Zimbabwean teachers, one half in Zimbabwe and the other half in South Africa. Fewer female than male teachers migrated to South Africa mainly because of females’ tendency not to progress to degree level and not to specialise in mathematics or science. Other reasons included their greater vulnerability to some types of violence such as rape, which forced them to learn South African languages fast in order to conceal their foreign identity. Women’s child-care roles and ostracism of those who migrated alone were also used to discourage them from migrating to South Africa.

Keywords: Female migrants, teacher migration, Zimbabwean crisis, brain drain, gender differences