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Every school has a story to tell: A study into teacher's experiences with elections in Zimbabwe
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
September 30, 2011

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Background

Teachers are an endangered species, and probably always have been. The task of preparing the young for their future role in society makes teachers the most important socialising influence in the life of a citizen, apart from the influence of the family and the home. The education system (and by implication, teachers who drive this system) has a profound influence upon the wider society and the nation. It is for this reason that education is a political battleground, and, in Zimbabwe, has always been so. In Zimbabwe (Rhodesia before), the education system and teachers, who are the visible face of education, has been the focus for the political struggles of the country.

It is remarkable that, with all the violations that took place in Zimbabwe, and the violations that have taken place against teachers (and the education sector as a whole) during the last decade, only one major report specifically focusing on violations against teachers has been published. As regards teachers (and by implication the education and children within the education system), this is a serious gap in our understanding.

Like other forms of violence against other citizens, the increase in violence against teachers is directly linked to the electoral cycle and points to the fact that it is state-sponsored, but certainly has not been objected to by the state. Rather, the previous ZANU PF government has fostered an approach that is explicitly ideologically-oriented, even to the extent of ensuring that this ideology is fostered in the youth beyond the school. In 2001 the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stan Mudenge made the statement quoted earlier.

Equally supporting the same view, the then ZANU PF Political Commissar, Border Gezi had this to say;

"If you want to work for the government, you should be prepared to support ZANU (PF)." (Source: The Herald, 12 April 2001)

This study to document the scope, the nature, the pattern and impact of elections in Zimbabwe on service delivery in schools and in particular the suffering of teachers at the hands of politicians had its origin in the political violence which has now become a part and parcel of Zimbabwean elections since the 2000 elections.

This report attempts to depart from the general approach by focusing specifically on disturbances affecting teachers, schools, and the education system. Whilst the signing of the Global Political Agreement [GPA] and the establishment of the Inclusive Government [IG] has brought some economic stability to the economy, the security of teachers has not been addressed, and this was evident in a preliminary desk top study of reports in the public domain, as well as reports to teachers' trade union.

The present report is based on findings of a field survey involving 1,200 teachers nationwide conducted between April and June 2011 and reflect the responses thereof. The objective of the study was to expose the violent nature of the political system in the country against teachers with the hope that positive reforms will be instituted to benefit the sector and the country. The study findings seek to inform the trade union movement, electoral authorities, civic organisations, the Government of National Unity (GNU) and regional groupings such as SADC and the AU of the magnitude and impact of violence on teachers and more importantly, the role of institutions to which teachers and students trust for their security and protection from human rights violations.

This is the first of a series of reports released in view of the current speculation about early elections in order to sensitise all to the need for serious attention to be given to the plight of teachers and their schools (including their pupils) during election periods.

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