Moved “Like Pieces On A chessboard”: Teachers Confused And Frustrated By Sudden Transfer Orders

A government directive to immediately withdraw State-funded teachers from private schools in Harare has left around 33 teachers in professional limbo.

The policy, meant to address staff shortages in public schools by recalling teachers from private institutions, has been carried out in what critics describe as a “haphazard and punitive” manner.

At Mufakose Mhuriimwe Secondary School, a private institution, teachers were handed blanket transfer notices late last week, often without being told their new postings.

One high school teacher, speaking to NewsDay on condition of anonymity, said they are being moved “like pieces on a chessboard”. Said the teacher:

“I have served here for eight years. Now I’m told to transfer immediately, but no one can tell me if I’m going to a rural school or even where my new destination is.”

Another distressed teacher said they have not yet received any new postings from the government.

Harare Provincial Education Director Joram Mupunza defended the move, describing it as the withdrawal of a State subsidy from private institutions. He said:

“These guys indicated that they are a private institution, and they want to run their school in their own way, hence the government cannot fund them.

“This is an ongoing process, and teachers have been given two options: either to remain at private schools or to go to any other government school.

“They have the option to resign on a government salary and rejoin private schools. So, we are waiting for their responses, and we’ll take it from there.”

The Educators’ Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) Secretary-General, Tapedza Zhou, condemned the move, saying it violated public service regulations. He said:

“We have since engaged with the relevant education authorities on the matter, having discovered that the current transfer instructions given to teachers are not consistent with public service regulations.”

Zhou said the union has recommended that teachers continue with their normal duties until the end of this term, by which time the planned transfer processes are expected to be completed.

Dexter Malinganiso, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, said he needs to consult the Public Service Commission for clarity on the matter.

Taungana Ndoro, director of communications and advocacy at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, told NewsDay that the ministry’s priority is to ensure uninterrupted access to quality education for all learners.

Ndoro added that teacher deployment is a necessary administrative measure to achieve an equitable distribution of teaching staff across the country.