CHAOS characterised yesterday’s schools reopening as dozens
of teachers failed to travel to their workstations citing incapacitation.
Teachers’ unions attributed the chaos to poor planning by
government. Government last week ordered schools to open in the middle of a
level 4 lockdown, with the examination classes opening yesterday, while the
rest of the classes are set to follow suit on September 6.
“Schools opened, but they remain closed practically,”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said.
“Even half of the schoolchildren failed to go to school. At
least three-quarters of the teachers did not go, but there are others,
especially in the urban areas, who want to conduct extra lessons that went to
school.
“The government was shocked and sent circulars by 10am for
headmasters to take down names of those who failed to attend classes.”
Zhou added: “This was ill-prepared. The teachers remain
incapacitated and they need a rescue package. They cannot even send their
children to school and cannot also travel to their workstations. How can a
teacher pay for rent, school fees, food and also transport from the $21 000
they are paying? There are schools that cost $62 000 and how can the teachers
pay for their children?”
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive
officer Sifiso Ndlovu said: “Reports are indicating that there was a good
turnout in urban schools where teachers did not face huge transport problems.
“We had a number of rural school teachers who failed to
travel because there was no transport at all. The long-distance buses that they
were waiting for were not available and in some instances, were expensive and
the teachers did not have the United States dollars they were being charged.”
It emerged that there was an extremely low turnout,
particularly in rural schools, with only two out of 56 attending at Gaza
Primary School in Chipinge district, while four out of 36 were present at
Jersey Primary School in the same district, according to reports.
Only one teacher out of 11 was in attendance at Hotburg
Primary School, with Mutema High School recording only one teacher in
attendance.
In Bulawayo, most teachers failed to attend classes citing
incapacitation, with PTUZ Bulawayo chairman Vusumuzi Mahlangu saying they
failed to raise money to travel to their schools.
“Some of them are parents who also failed to raise money
for their children’s school fees due to incapacitation, especially those who
have children attending boarding schools as school authorities in those schools
demanded fees upfront,” Mahlangu said.
Zimta acting secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said it
was too early for them to give a comment.
“At a school where I teach, we have two Grade 7 teachers
and I noticed that only one Grade 7 teacher was available. If this is a
microcosm of what is happening throughout, it is possible that there are
teachers who are not yet at schools as we speak,” he said.
The Education ministry yesterday conducted roadshows in the
high-density suburbs of Bulawayo pleading with parents to send their children
to school.
“No child should be left behind. No child should be at home
when others are at school. No child will be sent away from school. Please
ensure that your children report for class as schools have reopened,” the
education officials announced using a hailer.
A police vehicle led the convoy of about six Education
ministry vehicles. Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson
Taungana Ndoro, however, claimed said the opening went on smoothly.
“The opening went on well and we have had no cases of
COVID-19 so far. Teachers reported for duty, with over 50% available, but
remember, it’s only examination classes, so we are going to be checking as the
week progresses and we get to the next phase of opening,” he said. Newsday
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