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Government rejects teachers' rescue package
Vusumuzi Sifile, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
January 10, 2009

http://www.thezimbabwestandard.com/local/19508--govt-rejects-teachers-rescue-package.html

The government turned down a lucrative teacher retention scheme proposed by a coalition of non-governmental organisations and teachers' unions that might have helped resuscitate the crumbling education sector, The Standard learnt last week.

The scheme would have stopped disgruntled teachers from leaving the country in droves and possibly help lure back thousands who left the country last year.

The Education Working Group (EWG), which comprises the Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (ZIMTA), Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), and international humanitarian agencies, had pledged to raise funds for the scheme.

It would have helped retain up to 100 000 teachers who are refusing to go back to work until their salaries are pegged in foreign currency.

Under the scheme, the group would have mobilised resources "to make sure that teachers were motivated and return to schools when the first term resumes on January 27.

The scheme would see teachers getting salaries in foreign currency. They would also be given food aid.
It is understood the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture turned down the offer, saying teachers were civil servants whose payment was the prerogative of the government.

The ministry's general lines went unanswered on Friday. Another meeting will be held on Tuesday to convince the ministry to accept the idea, which the group views as the only way to retain teachers.

ZIMTA acting chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu, who attended some of the meetings, said the government had dismissed the pledge on flimsy grounds.

"It is very unfortunate for the government to reject a helping hand, and on flimsy grounds," he said. "We want to encourage the government to reconsider its position on the issue for the good of the nation."

Although not confirming that government had snubbed the initiative, Tsitsi Singizi, the national spokesperson for the UN Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) said they were working with their partners towards raising US$80 million to assist 130 000 teachers throughout the year.

Unicef is part of the EWG.

"We are seriously concerned that teachers are not in class, and hope that that the teachers and government will arrive at an agreement of some sort," Singizi said.

"We are worried that as a result, children who last year had to close early because there were no teachers continue losing out, and have also become more vulnerable outside the protective environment in schools. The implications on Zimbabwe's children are very immense. Unicef continues to reach out to provide any form of assistance."

Teachers' unions have already warned their members would not report for duty unless they were paid in foreign currency.

On Thursday, ZIMTA President Tendai Chikowore said teachers would only report for duty "as soon as they are capacitated in real terms".

"Teachers wish to state that paying their salaries in foreign currency is no longer an option but the real and only right thing to do," Chikowore said.

"Teachers demand living salaries and allowances denominated in foreign currency that will assist them transact business," she said. "Meanwhile they continue to fail to go to work, buy food for their families, pay rentals, fees and bills."

Chikowore said the political impasse between the country's political protagonists had compounded teachers' woes.

As a result of the shortage of teachers, many students are staying at home and not reporting for school.
According to Unicef, this resulted in school attendance nose-diving from more than 85% in 2007 to just 20% by the third term of 2008.

Roeland Monasch, the Unicef acting representative in Zimbabwe, said they feared the attendance rates at schools might drop further this year as children would be forced to help their parents look for food or find ways to earn money to help support their families.

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