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Teachers continue to press for wages denominated in United States dollars or its equivalence in local currency ahead of the school reopening date.
Schools were closed prematurely in March as a measure to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government recently announced that schools will be opened on 14 and 28 September for Cambridge and ZIMSEC exam classes respectively.
However, the announcement has been received with mixed feelings among teachers and parents.
Teachers are demanding to be paid in USD or equivalence in local currency at bank rate.
In a press statement Dr Takavafira Zhou the PTUZ President said,”It is prudent to motivate teachers by paying them salaries that resonate with their October 2018 salaries pegged at US$520-US$550 before schools open. Any attempt to fast-track opening of schools in a commandist style will meet resistance from teachers and result in industrial disharmony which is not productive.The restoration of teacher salaries’ purchasing power parity must be high on the agenda of reopening of schools in order to promote industrial harmony and productivity.”
“Government must procure and place in schools covid 19 abatement equipment before schools reopen.”
” Mandatory testing of pupils,teachers and ancillary staff must be done before opening schools and education officials must stop flimsy reference to the so called June experience,which experience has no epidemiological relevance.”
“Government must shelve the payment of fees for the forthcoming term as parents have been economically disarticulated during lockdown period.”
“Schools also need a rescue package from government in order to jerk them into operability after financial haemorrhage under covid 19 period.”
“Exams must be postponed to February 2021 in order to give teachers enough time to prepare students for exams and students enough time to learn and do their projects in practical subjects.”
Speaking to TechMagTV Mr Sukuta, a parent said, “Schools must not open as it will be difficult to maintain social distancing and yet students have to discuss in groups.”
He added,”Transport scarcity is also the main challenge,if adults are struggling to go to work and have to wait in ZUPCO queues for hours what more school children.”
Another parent Mr Mutandwa said,”There must be transparency when it comes to testing of students and teachers as they are coming from different places and chances are some of them have family members they live with that have tested positive for the deadly virus.”
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