Teacher unions have called for an industrial action over poor salaries and conditions of service at the same time refusing to invigilate the upcoming examinations until invigilation allowances are paid upfront.
Federation of Zimbabwe Educators Union (Fozeu), an umbrella body for teachers’ representatives, yesterday announced that unions were uniting to speak with one voice.
Fozeu chairperson Obert Masaraure said teachers will not supervise the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) examinations which are due to start next week if the government does not pay them invigilating allowances since they consider it an extra job.
“We want to sit down together as unions and share ideas on how our concerns could be addressed. Teachers have been suffering for decades and the call for the government to take heed of their calls has escalated. Teachers are professionals who cannot continue surviving like beggars,” Masaraure said.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said only Artuz and Zinatu members failed to report for work, which was an insignificant number.
However, he said Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu was determined to improve the teachers’ welfare and urged teachers to be patient with her.
“As of Friday, we had 94,08% of teachers reporting for duty and that is very encouraging, with about 145 000 teachers in the country against Artuz (386) and Zinatu (50), who form a combined membership of 436 which is roughly 0,3% of the teacher establishment.
“Our reaction basically, as a ministry is that let us not get ahead of ourselves and do the best we can to offer quality, relevant and inclusive education to our learners to achieve Vision 2030. Our minister Ndlovu has repeatedly said one of her key priorities is to improve the welfare of our teachers. So, I urge members of the teaching fraternity to embrace the confidence shown by our minister about better days to come,” Ndoro said.
