TEACHERS have been urged to report for duty as schools opened under Phase Three which has paved the way for lessons for everyone in primary and secondary school to resume being conducted in the classroom.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) A to Grade Five pupils
joined the Grade Six and Seven classes in primary schools while Form One and
Two joined their seniors who had opened in September and last month.
However, teachers did not report for duty in some schools.
Some parents had to withdraw their children when they observed no learning
related activities happening at the institutions.
Pupils were crowded outside schools waiting for school
authorities to attend to them in Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Hwange among other
parts of country. Only school heads and a few support staff were present in
some schools.
Pupils told Chronicle news crews that they were told that
they would be updated via official social media platforms to return to school
once teachers are available.
They said only examination classes, especially those doing
science subjects, were told to remain in school to study. Some learners could
be seen playing in the school yards as others returned home.
The pupils were not following the Standard Operating
Procedures which stipulate that they maintain social distancing, wear face
masks among other Covid-19 prevention measures.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo
urged teachers to report for duty saying Government was still in talks with
their unions to attend to their concerns.
Teachers have declared incapacitation and some have not
reported for duty since Government introduced the first phase of schools
opening in September. This has seen Government warning teachers that it will
withdraw their salaries if they do not report for duty.
Deputy Minister Moyo said Government has procured personal
protective equipment for schools to protect learners and teachers from Covid-19.
“We have dealt with personal protective equipment, time tables for candidates
who are writing examinations. Our expectation is that both pupils and teachers
go to school. We encourage teachers to perform their duties while their union
leaders are engaging Government over their issues of concern,” said Deputy
Minister Moyo.
He said parents and guardians should also make sure that
children stay in school as learning institutions are safer zones for learners.
“We are encouraging parents to send their children to
school and no head is expected to chase away the learners.
Pupils have a right to access to education. There are
serious consequences for children and the country if our children do not go to
school. There are lots of hazards that may befall them while at home such as
child abuse; they may start new habits which may not be good for them while
others might be involved in child labour. So, when they are out of schools,
they are likely to experience serious hazards yet the school provides safe
zones,” he said.
Deputy Minister Moyo said it remains illegal for schools to
demand teacher incentives from parents and guardians.
The trend has become rampant in some schools to keep
teachers in classes as most of them have downed their tools.
He said payment of teachers’ salaries remains the
Government’s responsibility.
“That is illegal (to demand incentives from parents). There
is a circular that directs schools not to charge parents extra monies to pay
teachers. It is Government’s responsibility to demand fees payment. Demanding
incentives creates new problems because affluent parents would pay the teachers
but the less affluent cannot pay teachers which results in their children not
accessing education. We want equity in terms of accessing education where
education is affordable to all without discrimination. Because when schools
demand US dollar incentives that creates a form of discrimination especially
when some of the parents cannot afford to pay the forex. What will happen to
their children?” he said.
Primary and Secondary Education Ministry communications and
advocacy manager Mr Taungana Ndoro said provincial and district heads were
assessing the situation on the ground.
“Information is being collected through our Provincial
Education Directors (PEDs) and district schools’ inspectors.
They would send information to our Command Centre for us to
then analyse and see how the situation has been. We are confident that by the
end of the day we would have collected all the information and tomorrow (today)
we will be able to give an analysis of what really transpired today
(yesterday),” said Mr Ndoro.
Parents urged Government to break the impasse which has
seen teachers not reporting for duty.
“Our children have suffered due to this long time that they
have spent at home. It was our hope that they were going to return to school
without any challenges. Schools have opened but there are no teachers. Who
would supervise the children to observe Covid-19 regulations when teachers are
not there? We strongly appeal to Government to address the issues in the
education sector. Our children are the ones who are suffering most under these
circumstances,” said a parent with a child at Magwegwe Primary School in
Bulawayo.
A parent with a child at Sizane High School in the city
said Government should allow parents to pay incentives to teachers as opposed
to having children going to school every day but not learning.
“We are losing a lot of money sending the children to
school. At the moment we need our children to learn and it’s high time
Government allows parents to pay incentives to teachers. Teachers might be
forced to go to work but it would be difficult to force them to effectively
teach our children yet we need our children to catch up as they have lost a lot
of time due to Covid-19,” said the parent. Chronicle
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