SEVEN teachers’ unions yesterday petitioned Primary and
Secondary Education minister Cain Mathema to stop the re-opening of schools
until COVID-19 is effectively contained.
In the event that the pandemic is contained, the teachers
put forward 15 demands they want government to meet to guarantee their safety.
The petition was signed by the Progressive Teachers’ Union
of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz),
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association, Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers’ Union, Zimbabwe
National Teachers’ Union, Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe National
Educators’ Union.
The petition followed an announcement by government last
week that schools will re-open in four weeks’ time.
But yesterday, teachers described the move as “reckless
bravery by some ill-informed sections of society bent on opening schools for
expediency and primitive accumulation of wealth”.
“We, the undersigned teachers’ unions in Zimbabwe,
therefore, urge the government to ensure that coronavirus is totally brought
under control before opening of schools,” part of the petition read.
The teachers set tough conditions for schools re-opening
and also demanded US$520 minimum salary or its interbank rate equivalent.
“Fumigate all schools before schools open and at regular
intervals thereafter. Schools that are currently used as quarantine centres
should go through rigorous fumigation and confirmed safe by the Health and
Child Care ministry,” the petition added.
“Ensure the testing of all pupils and teachers and
provision of the same at regular intervals, pay risk allowances to teachers as
in essence they are frontline workers in the education system.”
The teachers said they should be capacitated in handling
COVID-19 in case of an outbreak in schools and also demanded the postponement
of the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council June examinations.
They also want government to reduce the teacher-pupil ratio
to 1:20, supply personal protective equipment, test kits, thermometers and
sanitisers to all the 10 000 schools and ensure availability of potable water,
among other demands.
The teachers said the opening of schools was premature and
was not according to World Health Organisation guidelines.
PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said their demands were
justified as the decision to open schools in four weeks’ time was
“ill-conceived”.
Artuz president Obert Masaraure said: “We cannot afford to
experiment with the lives of our teachers and our learners.”
Mathema said he would dialogue with the union leaders over
their concerns.
“This is not time for insults, but unity among all
Zimbabweans to fight COVID-19,” Matema said. “I am going to meet with the union
leaders so that we iron out their grievances. But what I can say is that we
value the safety of all our teachers and the 4,6 million learners.” Newsday
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