Teachers strike shelved

Strikes by teachers had become a permanent feature every final term of the school calendar, leaving children ill equipped to deal with examination challenges.

Last year saw many children failing both national and international examinations as a result of strikes by teachers for more pay and better working conditions. Some schools, particularly in the remote parts of the country registered zero pass rates for both O and A Level exams.

Children from poor families were hit most as they could not afford to enrol in private schools or colleges or pay for extra lessons.

Teachers are currently earning an average o US$ 150 a month. Although they have registered their concerns and have demanded a salary of at least US$500 from the cash-strapped government, they are not downing tools. They suspended a looming job action scheduled for beginning of this term, throwing a life-line to children hoping to achieve academic excellence.

My dreams of passing Ordinary Level Examinations and proceed to Advanced Level next year, can now be realised, said Betty Murimi, a pupil at a high school in Harare. I would rise to the occasion and confidently take each examination as it comes.

Parents commended teachers for putting interests of children ahead of personal career benefits. We had grown used to strikes by teachers beginning of each final term of the year, said Susan Kambarami of Highfield. This caused anxiety among both parents and children as examination success was compromised by the job actions.

She said she hoped teachers would be rewarded for being devoted to duty. She urged government to improve working conditions for teachers.

A Programmes Officer with the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Oswald Madziva said: The teacher-pupil contact improved immensely this term because of non interruption of school activity by teachers strikes. This obviously would help improve performance of children in examinations.

However, he said,it must be understood that teachers did not go on strike only for the benefit of children. As a union, we also wanted to take our time and organise our members for an effective and successful job action. We did not want to end up with a repeat of previous teachers strikes which flopped and failed to yield anticipated results.

PTUZ has been active in advocating for better salaries for teachers.

Yes, we must fight for living salaries from government, but whatever action we take should not harm school activities of poor children, said Union Secretary General, Raymond Majongwe. Our struggle for better working conditions should achieve intended objectives on two fronts. On one front government must award us our dues while on the other, childrens education must not be compromised, he told teachers.

Minister of Education, David Coltart, urged teachers to bear with school children and stay in class while government looked into the salaries issue.

Coltart also expressed hope that the recent provision of text books to schools by his ministry would go a long way in improving the future education needs of children.

Zimbabwe schools had run out of reading material and other stationery, a situation which impacted negatively on the countrys education sector.