By Dr Takavafira Zhou ZPTU President.
(News of The South) -The time for useless meetings is over, now is the time for govt to act swiftly if ever schools would open in Zimbabwe. Against Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s suicidal attempts to open schools on 23 June 2020, teachers unanimously, unequivocally and unflinchingly delivered a coup degrade to the effect that no covid 19 risk assessment, provision of testing kits, thermometers, sanitizers, PPEs, recruitment of 50 000 teachers, infrastructural development to guarantee a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:20 or social distance, restoration of purchasing power parity or payment of US$520-US$550 there would be no opening of schools in Zimbabwe.
Teachers are also clear that gvt must open bars, weddings and churches before attempting genocidal opening of schools against WHO recommendations, more so at a time we are witnessing an unprecedented increase of covid 19 cases.
Let it sink in gvt officials’ heads that the time for grand standing and leap service is over. Now is the time for serious business to ensure that we prioritise the health, safety and welfare of teachers, pupils and nation at large. If the current pace of gvt response is anything to go by, schools may not open even in the next five years. Over the past two months, gvt has tested less than 39000 people and impeccable sources indicate that gvt is running short of testing kits. As such, just imagine how long it would take to test 4.6 million students, 186 000 teachers, and 50 000 ancillary staff! To be honest this feat may not be achieved even in the next ten years. Let it sink in gvt officials’ minds that the speed at which gvt can provide basic health and safety equipments in schools, let alone its ability to restore the purchasing power parity of teachers’ salaries, and test teachers and pupils, will ultimately, determine our preparedness to open schools. At this historical juncture there are no concerted efforts that show gvt commitment to open schools this year or even next year.
The cause of health, safety and welfare, must be treated with the greatest urgency and care it deserves. The time for unproductive meetings is over and teachers, who have done so much with very little resources are angry and apprehensive at the lackadaisical approach by gvt. The time to look at time frames in placing adequate basic health and safety equipment in schools is now. The time to address teachers’ dispute over callous culling of their salary from US$550 per month to US$45 is now. The time to show robust time frames for testing teachers and pupils is now. Now is the time for less talk and more practical and realistic implementation plans.
Gvt attempts to evade responsibility or heap the burden of providing PPEs to schools will not work and does not work, simple. Gvt prevarication and evasion from addressing teachers’ dispute of right does not work. It’s time to look at the challenges with a critical mind and call for pragmatism and realism in our implementation plans. Its time to be responsible and move away from homelitic and populist empty speeches. The time for visible action of implementation plans is now. Time is moving when officials are virtually stagnant, with no clear plans to go forward. We are in essence managers of the world’s greatest asset, viz, pupils, and our health, safety and welfare must be priority number 1. We will not accept to be treated as any other business or as if we are of no account. Our health, safety and welfare first.
I rest teachers’ case.
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Ptuz President)
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