Several school heads across the country have ignored government’s directive to submit names of teachers who have not been reporting for duty since the resumption of classes.
The move has been highly commended by the teachers’ union body, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.
PTUZ states that the move was a success which did not sell out incapacitated teachers to the government.
Teachers have been refusing to return to work citing incapacitation while demanding payment of salaries in USD.
In a statement on Thursday Permanent Secretary of Education Tumisang Thabela The Public Service Commission has requested for the details of Teachers that have not reported for duty since the opening of Phase 1 classes on 28 September 2020.
However, school heads have turned a blind eye to the government’s demands.
“We salute several school heads for failing to send names of incapacitated teachers to district and provincial offices. Incapacitation is real and lets not assist an exploitative system to silence our voices. The Ministry officials must cover the length and breadth of Zimbabwe to collect the names. “
“We stand ready to defend our members as notification to this incapacitation has been made to both the employer and line Ministry,” reads the statement.
Teachers have been demanding restoration of salaries to that of 2018 when they earned USD$520 to cushion them against the rising inflation and cost of living.
While currently earning close to USD$30 with the cost of living now rising very high , teachers remain incapacitated.
Government has been reluctant to meet their demands and teachers have maintained that they will not be move by their either threats.
PTUZ added that , “ Our incapacitation struggle must continue with all teachers engaging a high gear against the cold and calculated educational vandalism.”
“ Anyone who thinks schools may continue to operate in the current hap hazardous meddling and muddling through without teachers would be deflated very soon. The competencies are identified, inculcated, nurtured and perfected by teachers.”
Meanwhile , schools reopened on Monday for the third phase and various reports claimed that the majority of teachers did not turn up for work with some schools sending kids back home.
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