Back to School: Teachers embark on ‘go slow’

By Fani Mapfumo

There was a ‘false start’ to the 2019 schools second term as teachers have vowed to embark on a ‘go slow’ on opening day in a bid to compel government to pay attention to their grievances.

“Teachers are incapacitated and the government has not listened to us since the day schools were closed last month and therefore as a member driven union our teachers have told us they are incapacitated to work therefore they will go to work tomorrow but they won’t be performing any of their duties,” said Majongwe.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general Raymond Majongwe said teachers were incapacitated and will therefore be on a ‘go slow’ on opening day.

He reiterated the need for salary adjustments by the government in relation to the escalating price of goods and cost of living.

Majongwe said the government has been reluctant to honour its promises.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) secretary general Robson Chere concurred with Majongwe and said their members were not reporting for duty on Tuesday except those who stay close to their work stations.

“As a union our members told us that they don’t have any money for transport because their salaries are nothing, they cannot even afford to send their kids to school as the day opens tomorrow,” said Chere.

He added that the ‘go slow’ will continue until Friday and further action will be taken if government ignores their pleas.

“We are going on a go slow until Friday and if we are not satisfied by their response to our demands we will then decide as teachers what further action we should make.

“It’s either we will go in the streets or we will go on a total stay away either way the government has to take us seriously,” added Chere.

During the first term of 2019, teachers went on a stay away that persisted for three weeks.

They had a cocktail of grievances that include United States Dollar salaries, transport allowance and general cost of living allowance adjustments.

Meanwhile, some schools are reported to be demanding their school fees payments in United States dollars and some pupils are reported to have been denied entry. Zim Morning Post