Opening of Schools – A Question of Life and Death : Teachers are their Own Liberators
13 July 2020
Cdes our labour struggle has reached another level following enunciation by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education that all teachers must report for work on 28 July 2020.
At any rate DSIs and some school heads have also moved a gear up demanding that teachers must report at various centres for health training. What is worrisome is that nothing has been done to provide teachers with requisite travelling documents and transport, let alone covid 19 abatement during travelling and workshops. Given the exorbitant transport costs and the Covid-19 pandemic the majority of teachers have failed to report for the workshops, which in our view is in order.
We have also come under vitriolic attack from George Charamba and a Jamwanda over salary discrepancies, but we have no apology over their warped explanation that in essence is a security threat.
What has, however, been worrisome is the vacuous criticism from teacher unions like Zinatu and Zineu leadership, that our quest for fair labour practice is politically driven as if teachers under such unions have not tested positive to poverty and penury.
In his wisdom or lack of it Zinatu CEO, Nyao wrote that: “Now I get that you want to be involved as PTUZ in the 31 July street demonstrations,from where , as who and why?” The duo of Paradzai (Zineu) and Nyao (Zinatu) surprised all and sundry in their attack of PTUZ leadership at a time we should be cementing unity of purpose against the employer around labour issues.
They also attacked PTUZ for not subscribing to an obsolete, archaic and moribund organ called Apex Council whose speciality is romance with gvt and betrayal of teachers’ interests. As much as we may differ ideological, we must still unite around common goals such as over health, safety and welfare of teachers.
For the record, PTUZ has never been and will never be an appendage of any political party. Surely we can be political as long as that denotes pursuit of a credible education system in Zimbabwe and fair labour practice, but we are certainly not partisan.
We are an issue based union and our issues are shaped by our members and leaders are servants of members. We have no regrets for our current pursuit of the restoration of salaries of teachers’ purchasing power parity that was callously eroded and reduced from US$550 to about US$25.
We are aware that teachers would be receiving a salary ranging from $4000 to $5000, whereas the army will get a salary ranging from $10000 to $18000, permanent secretary above $50 000; University Lecturers, $38000 to $66000, Ministers we certainly can only imagine.
We dont begrudge other sectors’ salaries but reiterate that it is dangerous to rob Peter in order to reward John. The concept of salaries must reflect qualifications, experience, responsibility and promotion; transparency and equity, which are lacking in our government.
We are aware under rogue Mugabe regime a teacher’s salary was more than that of soldiers and police at entry point, and always one third of a University lecturer’s salary. But under the so called new dispensation it’s something else.
Transparency of salaries of all government and parastals is key in a country like Zimbabwe as a closeted focus on the interest of elites is unproductive, illogical and dangerous. A panacea for the current quagmire over teachers’ salaries is a return to the October 2018 salaries pegged at US$550.
We reiterate our long held view that teachers are ready to reopen schools provided that their safety, health and welfare are guaranteed. Sadly, the government has not done anything to procure testing kits, thermometers, sanitizers and other PPEs for more than 80 percent of the 10 000 schools, and the 20 percent has acquired the covid 19 abatement equipment on their own accord.
To imagine that gvt can test 136 000 teachers, 50 000 ancillary staff and millions of students in less than two weeks is to expect an impossible miracle.
All the same to allow the congregation of thousands of students and teachers from various areas (some of which are neighbouring countries heavily invested with covid 19 pandemic) without any testing is madness of the worst order and unacceptable. As such, reopening of schools cannot take place without guaranteeing the health and safety of teachers and pupils, let alone welfare of of teachers.
Worse still the country is witnessing a quantum leap of covid 19 cases and our health system is in the terminal ward. So if government fails to listen to professional advice that we have always voluntarily provided, we will be left with no option except to make a choice over life and death.
Our choice would be clearly choosing to live. Government is therefore advised to mellow down to a more constructive approach permeable to reason and facts. The sooner teachers are properly remunerated, rewarded and protected, the better.
To all teachers across the union and non union divide, the time to unite is now. Now is the time to send a clear and undiluted message that our lives matter.
The time to organise and mobilise against treatment in a degrading, callous and servitude manner is now. Now is the time to uphold our labour rights. We are everything, yet we now count for nothing. Our clarion call is “No guarantee to safety, health and welfare of teachers and pupils, no opening of schools on 28 July 2020.”
For our lives we must unite!
For our pupils we must unite!
For our health we must unite!
For our safety we must unite!
For our welfare we must unite!
For our profession we must unite!
For our nation we must unite!
Venceremos
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Ptuz President)
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