AT least 70% of teachers who reported for duty yesterday when schools opened for the third term did so out of fear of suspension or having their salaries docked, teacher unions claimed.
Teachers have previously gone on periodic strikes to
protest poor salaries, and government has responded by employing the “No-work,
no-pay” principle and also going to the extent of suspending the absentee
educators.
Educators Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Tapedza Zhou
told NewsDay that their survey revealed that teachers were suffering in silence
and reported for work under protest.
“About 70% reported for duty out of fear, but they do not
have money. Thirty percent failed because of a total lack of money. There is no
assurance that the 70% who reported today will continue doing so as they are
also facing challenges in paying school fees for their children,” Zhou said.
“Their morale is low. When I visited some of the schools,
they were not doing their work. They came out of fear and nothing else. Also,
teachers are sceptical of the recently formed TeachersforED union, which they
are afraid could be State machinery meant to expose them for not reporting for
duty.”
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union president Obert Masaraure
said teachers were being victimised for demanding better salaries and working
conditions.
“Definitely, they are afraid of being victimised.
Zimbabwe’s public schools have failed to smoothly open for the third time as
both learners and teachers failed to make it to the classroom because of
poverty,” Masaraure said.
“A survey conducted by the union revealed that an average
of 7% of learners were in attendance in rural schools and around 10% of
teachers were in schools. Unfortunately, the few teachers, who attended out of
fear, are not teaching, complaining that they are being underpaid for the
services they offer.”
There is discontent among teachers over poor working
conditions amid a growing economic crisis, which analysts say may surpass or
match the 2008 levels.
Teachers are demanding United States dollar salaries to
hedge against the rising cost of living as seen in skyrocketing prices of basic
goods and services.
However, there has been a deadlock in the salary
negotiations.
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube recently torched a storm
after he claimed that teachers were earning enough, adding that the salaries
were above the poverty datum line.
Unions dismissed his statements as insensitive.
In February, government suspended scores of striking
teachers.
The High Court later ruled the suspension of striking
teachers by Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu as illegal.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill
Taderera said their members reported for work to allow room for negotiations
after government promised to look into their plight.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson
Taungana Ndoro denied claims that the ministry was victimising teachers for
demanding better salaries.
“Nobody reported for duty out of fear, they did so because
they want to contribute to the education system of the country. They want to
ensure that there is effective teaching and learning,” Ndoro said.
“They want to ensure that their pupils can pass their
upcoming examinations. Nobody is afraid to come and take up their calling to
teach. We have not received reports of secondments.”
Meanwhile, there was chaos when schools opened yesterday as
some boarding institutions were demanding fee top-ups citing the
hyper-inflationary environment.
Parents, whose children learn at boarding schools such as
Tsholotsho High School and Embakwe Boys’ High School, said the fee top-ups,
some in United States dollars, were unreasonable.
A parent with a child at Tsholotsho High School, said:
“When our children were left with only two weeks to close schools, we were told
to pay a top-up of US$145 because there were food shortages. This term, the
same amount is included and we are not sure if it’s now part of the fee
structure.”
Tsholotsho High head Sicelo Dube said no student was denied
entry to the school over unpaid fees.
A survey by NewsDay revealed that some schools were
demanding gate passes for every learner to access the classroom.
Government maintains that it is illegal for schools to send
away students over non-payment of fees.
A number of boarding schools demanded top-ups of up to 100%
before schools closed for the second term saying their budgets had been wiped
out by inflation and ever-increasing operational costs. Newsday
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