Some teachers in Zimbabwe’s public schools did not turn up for work today while those who turned up were on ‘go-slow’.
The two biggest teachers’ organisations in the country, the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) issued a joint statement last Thursday calling on their members to embark on industrial action.
Reuters reports that at a certain primary school in Mbare, Harare, a school teacher was seen eating from her lunch box in the morning while pupils sat quietly in the classroom.
ZIMTA president Richard Gundane told Reuters that there were some teachers in the classroom but there was no meaningful learning taking place.
Some teachers have gone to their respective school for fear of reprisals. The brutal crackdown on protestors when soldiers moved around beating up people is still fresh in the minds of many.
Teachers rejected a ‘paltry’ government salary hike of 10 per cent which teachers were to get from April.
The country is estimated to have about 100 000 teachers in its public schools.
This is a very critical and delicate issue of great magnitude as it deals with the destiny of individuals and their dear families… it is no longer one resolved by tightening laws but rather on a short term by determination of workable salary increase in percentage while on a long term mutually contemplating the industrialization of Zimbabwe in a true democratic environment.
I saw the minister sayin there’s no strike by teachers this is greatly eroding one’s life in terms if academic progression gvt shd find lastin relationship with the employee without this our lives are going down the drain.
Mitigatory measures shd be put in place hv a workable solution.
Trust has been lost amongst every citizen in Zimbabwe.
This does not sound like an effective strike. The article reports that students were in attendance in an unnamed school in Mbare. No other school is mentioned. The article suggests that schools were open for business (albeit on a “go-slow) and school students were present. There is no mention of school closures as a result of the strike, if schools were closed it is not mentioned. There is also no evidence in the report that striking teachers formed a picket at school gates, pickets like this are standard practice at strikes but no mention of pickets here or photos of the same. An effective strike in my opinion should see 1) all schools closed with pupils at home 2) no teaching staff working in the school, including headmasters 3) all staff to engage in a picket at the school gate with placards.