By Never Kadungure
Are they on strike or not, that is the question?
Zimbabwe’s two teachers unions, ZIMTA and the PTUZ gave conflicting signals on whether teachers should go on strike pressing for bettter salaries.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) which is the bigger union urged its members to go on strike while the Progressive Teachers Union (PTUZ) said they should report for duty.
“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.
MDC-M senator David Coltart heads the Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Ministry while Zanu PF’s Stan Mudenge is in charge of the Higher and Tertiary Education Ministry.
Teachers in the low density areas reported for duty while those in the high density areas did not. An average teacher is earning US$140 and they want this raised to US$700 per month.
“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.
