|
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
Strikes and Protests 2007/8 - Teachers and Lecturers
Teacher's strike justified
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
February 09,
2007
The Crisis Coalition
wishes to express its solidarity with the Progressive
Teacher’s Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) which is calling on all teachers
to embark on an industrial action from the 31st of January to the
2nd of February 2007. The industrial action is to press for, among
other demands, better salaries and working conditions that have
deteriorated over the years. If the teachers’ demands are not met,
PTUZ has announced that teachers will embark on a full scale strike
on the 5th of February 2007. The union has advised teachers not
to succumb to threats and intimidation from authorities or state
security agents.
The planned action
by teachers comes at a time when Zimbabwe is embroiled in a deep
economic and political crisis. At present, teachers are earning
an average of ZW$185 000, 00 after the much talked about 300% increment.
This falls far below the Poverty Datum Line that is now pegged at
$351 000 for a family of five. A teacher’s salary can only buy 70
X 350ml bottles of Coca-cola which is an insult to the nation. It
is these people who are entrusted with educating our sons and daughters,
these same people who are responsible for breeding tomorrow’s doctors,
lawyers and engineers. The teaching fraternity is now under disrepute
due to appalling conditions of service and poor salaries
Decent housing
and food are fundamental rights to which every citizen must have
access. However, the government has continued to trample upon these
rights as the remuneration cannot afford teachers any form of decency.
If the educators are dissatisfied with their remuneration, their
commitment to educating the nation will be greatly affected. Most
experienced teachers have since migrated to other countries in search
for greener pastures and those who have remained behind are operating
below their potential. The quality of education in Zimbabwe over
the past six years has continued to decline and no new strategies
have been implemented to revive the industry.
Teachers play
a pivotal role in national development and as such should be treated
with the respect they deserve lest innocent students bear the brunt
of the impending strike. Of late the police have taken it upon themselves
to derail the efforts by teachers to better their lives by arresting
three teachers from Gaza Secondary school in Chipinge for embarking
on the go-slow called for by the union. Our position as Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition remains that the government need to address the
governance issues, and allow the people free will participation
in national issues for this economic crisis to be resolved.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
