Unions question Govt’s decision on schools
By Thandeka Matebesi
Teachers unions have questioned the announcement by Government with regards schools’ reopening dates in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The unions maintain that they were not consulted hence hinting at government’s insecurity and disregard of stakeholders who include teachers, learners and parents.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) says teachers have not been consulted on the reopening of schools for examination classes, and the teaching methodology to be followed.
This follows hard on the heels on Government’s announcement on Tuesday that schools will reopen for ZIMSEC exam classes this month with examinations set to commence on 1 December 2020.
Cambridge exam students will open schools on 14 September 2020 while ZIMSEC students will resume school on 28 September 2020. ZIMSEC exams will commence on 1 December 2020.
PTUZ president Dr Takavafira Zhou said there were no prior engagements between the government and teachers except for a WhatsApp message on 31 August requesting teachers to submit their views on the reopening of schools.
“The gvt has not shared anything with us over the conduct of teaching and we wonder how this would be done as anyone else.There were no engagements this month except a whatsApp message on 31 August to the effect that we should submit our views on opening of schools, which views we submitted on 1 September, but certainly not considered for an announcement made on the same say we made our submissions. This seems to have been an afterthought after our objection on Sunday to the effect that Minister of Primary and secondary education had pointed out that he would be making an announcement over opening of schools this week without engaging us,” said Zhou.
Zhou said their previous demands ofsalary increaments and adequate PPE which they had submitted to the government had not been met.
“Teachers demands with respect to procurement and placing in schools covid abatement equipment ( testing kits, thermometers, sanitizers, masks, cleaning and disinfection of schools), let alone testing of pupils, teachers and ancillary staff, recruitment of more teachers and building new infrastructure to allow social distance and a ratio of 1:20 teacher:pupil ratio have not been met”.
Equally important is our demand for review of teachers’ salaries that has not been met in spite of serious discrepancies introduced in June when other sectors within gvt received hefty increases and teachers did not under the so called presidential prerogative,” he said.
The militant Amalgamated Rural Teachers Association (ARTUZ) concurs with PTUZ on government’s failure to consult the unions calling the unilateral decision ‘inconsiderate’ In the wake of Gvt’s announcement ARTUZ says it is engaging other stakeholders including parents and the health sector.
‘The recommendations by the health sector will determine whether we can encourage our members to report for work’, said ARTUZ in a press release.
ARTUZ argue that the decision should rest with learners, teachers and parents and not government which it says is not part of the school ‘ecosystem’ and therefore its decisions ‘are not binding’
