TEACHERS and other school support staff are facing a nightmare to get to their respective stations ahead of full schools opening tomorrow after it emerged that inter-city buses are still banned except for pupils only.
Further, the teachers and the staff are also complaining
that in the absence of the buses they have been forced to opt for unscrupulous
private operators who are demanding exorbitant fares in foreign currency which
they cannot afford since they are paid in local currency.
Sunday News yesterday discovered that some pirate taxis
were yesterday charging double fares for most distances. After the reopening of the three examination
classes (Upper Six, Form Four and Grade Seven) last week, schools are expected
to welcome back the rest of learners tomorrow.
Last week, some teachers said they tried to use buses which
were availed for pupils but were made to disembark at roadblocks after police
indicated that they were only allowing pupils to be ferried by their school
buses. Most schools in rural areas do not have school buses and teachers will
be coming from different areas, making the arrangement a nightmare.
The development comes as police yesterday reiterated that
inter-city travel was still banned and they will be out in full force to ensure
only buses carrying pupils will be allowed.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police reiterates that under the
current Level IV Covid-19 regulations, inter-city movements are still
prohibited.
“Only commercial cargo and essential services are allowed.
Therefore, inter-city travelling by bus operators remains banned unless such
operators are doing so to transport children as stated by the Government of
Zimbabwe. “Police at all check points will ensure safety and ease of passage
for buses carrying learners back to school without any delay. Bus operators who
take advantage of the Government’s reprieve only to abuse it by transporting
ordinary passengers and not school children will risk being arrested and their
buses impounded,” national police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
said in a statement.
Zimbabwe Teachers Union (Zimta) chief executive officer Dr
Sifiso Ndlovu told Sunday News yesterday that teachers had been struggling to
get transport over the week as most operators were refusing to accept payment
in local currency.
“From what we have heard today from our members, there is
no transport and those that are transporting people are asking for foreign
currency. The problem is that teachers have had to run around and change money
from the streets.
This is something that the Ministry of Finance and
Development should look into because we believe people should accept local
currency, whether it comes as EcoCash or as physical money.
“Now it seems that teachers have committed a crime for
having local currency. They are not saying that they don’t want to go to work,
they are saying they are being hindered by resources. It is better for those
that work within Bulawayo because the transporters accept local currency but
those in the rural areas have had to rely on getting lifts from well-wishers,”
he said.
Dr Ndlovu said that teachers had sent an appeal to
Government with the hope of getting assistance on time for the opening of
schools.
“Those in Matabeleland have been saying that they are
trying to make plans with their directors so that they can consult Government
to provide transport for them. As of today, there had been no reply as yet and
the problem is that they are already supposed to be returning to work.
“Efforts are still being made to ensure that this happens
but as of now, teachers are running out of time. Our wish was that the
Government finds a way of helping those teachers that cannot reach their work
stations by providing public transport buses,” he said.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Mr
Takavafira Zhou said there had been no communication from authorities on how
teachers were supposed to return to work.
“There is virtually no communication pertaining to this
important aspect that must be addressed if schools are to successfully open. As
PTUZ we appealed to Government to pay a rescue package that would enable
teachers to pay fees for their own children, enable them to travel to their
respective stations and sustain them until pay day but this has not been
addressed,” he said.
However, Director of Information and Advocacy in the
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said while the
ministry was ready for the reopening of schools, the provision of transport did
not fall under its purview.
“Our mandate as the Ministry is to provide wholesome
education to learners. Transport provision does not fall under our purview.
Perhaps the Ministry of Transport or Zupco would be better placed to comment on
that. As the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, we are ready to
provide quality and wholesome education to learners as from Monday,” he said.
Sunday News
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