Financial Gazette (Harare)
Wonai Masvingise
4 September 2009
column
Harare — Confusion reigned supreme yesterday as schools opened for the third and final term of the year with teachers receiving conflicting signals from the unions that are in sharp disagreement over whether or not their members should down tools to press for better pay.
A crunch meeting to resolve the impasse threatening Zimbabwe's status as one of the most literate societies in Africa has been slated for tomorrow between officials in the two education ministries and leaders of the unions which represent more than 90 000 teachers.
A random survey by The Financial Gazette revealed that teachers at most of the schools in and around the capital reported for duty yesterday and only a few did not conduct lessons.
This was particularly the case at private schools and at some government-run institutions in low-density areas where teachers and children were seen busy with their work.
At some schools, especially those in high-density suburbs, the situation got off to a slow start with lessons still to resume at the time of the survey.
The spectre of a full-blown strike by the teachers casts a dark shadow over the third term, reminiscent of last year when children attended only 22 days of lessons.
The simmering fresh crisis in the education sector poses great danger to the gains made so far by the fragile inclusive government, which is still struggling to get meaningful outside assistance.
The unions themselves are in disarray.
On one hand, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) has instructed members not to report for duty citing low salaries, which were last reviewed in July.
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), on the other hand, is encouraging its members to get on with their work because the government has no financial wherewithal to meet their dema-nds.
"We are saying teachers are not going on strike. We believe that the two responsible ministers understand us and so we believe something positive will come out of the meeting we have with them on Friday," said PTUZ secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe.
David Coltart heads the Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Ministry while Stan Mudenge is in charge of the Higher and Tertiary Education Ministry. Both ministers are under pressure to placate the restive teachers in order to enhance their CVs in the inclusive government.
Majongwe claimed yesterday that PTUZ members had heeded the call to return to work.
A teacher in Kwekwe who preferred anonymity said her colleagues had turned up for work regardless of the call to abscond by ZIMTA for fear of losing their jobs.
"The situation is normal this side because teachers are afraid they might lose their jobs if they strike. Many teachers are also benefiting from incentives being offered by parents and so we are obligated to turn up for work," she said.
But ZIMTA was adamant that there was no going back on the association's call for a nationwide strike.
"Teachers are definitely striking and today (Wednesday) has largely been a day for regrouping as most of our teachers who turned up for work have been told to go back home. The Ministry of Finance should do something about (the) salaries before they (teachers) can go back to work," said Sifiso Ndlovu, the acting ZIMTA chief executive.
"We got an overwhelming response from teachers nationwide. Teachers heeded the call and rural teachers have not gone to work at all. In urban areas, by 10am, most schools had closed down," added Ndlovu.
Coltart said he met with Finance Minister Tendai Biti on Monday seeking a solution and hoped they would both attend tomorrow's meeting with the leadership of both unions.
Biti has since appealed to civil servants to be patient because the government is operating on limited cash resources with "little fiscus space" to manoeuvre.
On average teachers are being paid US$155 monthly after deductions.
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