SCORES of teachers at Eagle Tanning Primary and Secondary schools in rural Marondera are stranded after an indigenous farmer recently ordered them to pay rentals in foreign currency.
The farmer, identified as Godfrey Gonese, allegedly
backdated the US dollar rentals to January this year. In a letter of demand
dated March 23 shown to NewsDay, Gonese’s company Lowveld Leather Products,
which owns the farm is demanding US$60 per month for a six-roomed house.
Affected teachers at the learning institution told this
publication that they could not afford to pay the rentals because their paltry salaries are paid in local
currency.
Teachers currently earn between $14 000 and $19 000. Progressive
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe Mashonaland East provincial co-odinator Tapiwa
Chengeta confirmed the development yesterday, adding that all schools belonged
to government, hence the teachers should not pay the rentals.
“Last week, we visited the school after hearing that
Lowveld Leather Products, whose farm accommodates the school, is now demanding
rentals from teachers. It is unfortunate that some people can come from nowhere
and claim that government property is theirs. Schools are owned by the State,
it is government that provides accommodation to these teachers. We do not
tolerate such demands and we will fight until the teachers’ concerns are dealt
with,” he said.
Eagle Tanning primary and secondary schools were
established in 1979 by Belmont Leather to cater for employees’ children as well
as those from nearby communities.
The schools were handed over to government in 1981 through
the Marondera Rural District Council.
The farm and factory were taken over by indigenous
businesspeople in 1987, who then leased the shoe-making factory to an Italian
investor.
The primary school has an enrolment of 652 pupils and 19
teachers, while a total of 546 students are enrolled at the secondary school.
The catchment area of the school extends to Marondera town. Efforts to get a
comment from Mashonaland East provincial education director Annatoria Ncube
were fruitless as she had not responded to questions. Newsday
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