The Public Service Commission has threatened striking teachers that they will be deemed to have resigned if they do not report for duty by Tuesday 22 February 2022.
The ultimatum also apply to teachers who are reporting for duty, but are not working.
In a statement Wednesday, PSC castigated the strike by teachers saying it is depriving learners of their inalienable right to education as well as prejudicing parents of their investment in their children’s education.
“Government notes with concern that, in spite of the significant steps it has taken to improve conditions of service, working with the Apex Council, some teachers continue to absent themselves from work, with some reporting for duty but not working.
“All teachers, deputy heads and heads of schools who do not report for duty by Tuesday 22 February will be deemed to have resigned from the service. Those reporting for duty but not teaching will also be deemed to have resigned,” reads part of the PSC.
The commission also invited unemployed teachers, university and college graduates interested in teaching to register, as the recruitment process will begin just after 22 February.
Teachers have not been reporting for duty since the opening of schools last week, citing incapacitation.
Last week, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Evelyn Ndlovu suspended all striking teachers, a move that was reversed by the High Court earlier today.
Meanwhile, the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has reacted to the statement accusing government of making contradicting statements.
“The government should put its house in order first before issuing contradicting messages. We are not moved! USD540 now!”
“The level of self-disrespect by the Government has reached [mythical] levels. A government that has ignored secondary school graduates since 2014 has now suddenly remembered them,” the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe retorted on Twitter.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has since written to the Public Service Commission demanding that the commission withdraws its threat to teachers within 24 hours.
“With instructions from ARTUZ, we have given PSC a 24-hour ultimatum to withdraw its purported ultimatum stating that teachers and headmasters who do not report for duty and or those who report for duty but do not work by Tuesday will be deemed to have resigned,” said ZLHR on Twitter.
