‘Don’t give children too much powers’

By Latwell Nyangu

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) have bemoaned the beating up of teachers by students in schools recent months.

Presenting a petition before a joint Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Primary and Secondary Education yesterday, PTUZ Secretary General Raymond Majongwe said teachers have become victims of the students they teach.

“The issue of discipline in schools as teachers we are worried, we want parliamentarians to realise that, go out now and see what is happening in our schools.

“We heard people going on top of the mountains saying that students can now be left untouched.

“We made a pronouncement ultimately for what reasons but the fact we send the message that creates confusion in the mainstream, now there are serious problems around drug abuse.

“We must be able to stand up and say let’s control our children, lets control our youths.

“These rights that we want, we must also be able to say he go out there, he remain our children and as teachers we cannot discipline anybody.

“Students are coming to school to beat up teachers, we have cases where teachers have been beaten by school children we are supposed to be teaching,” he said.

Added Majongwe:

“You debated this in Parliament and this is not a laughing matter, it’s a serious issue because the moment we lose it we are going to have serious problems.

“We don’t want to be like South Africa where teachers are coming to school armed against their own children they are supposed to be teaching.

“The issue of drugs is another matter and we have allowed this because of democracy, I don’t know what it is all about.

“We have said to children do as it pleases you and as teachers we are simply saying, we are not well paid, if we touch your children, you beat us up, charge us.

“So we are just leaving everything because we are basically coming to teach those who want to be taught.

“The most important thing is why don’t we empower our teachers ultimately to build the nation

“As far as I am concerned teachers have been ignored.

“Many women and men who want to serve this country are simply frustrated.”

The session was adjourned to next Monday so that the teachers finalised their petitions before responses from the Parliamentarians. H-Metro