BULAWAYO - Hundreds of teachers re-employed by the government last year have not been paid since March, it has emerged. (Pictured: An angry teacher shows her disgust over her pay in early 2009. The salary dispute has raged for years)
In an interview, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president, Takavafira Zhou said that the government, through the Public Service Commission (PSC), had not effected salary deposits for the returning teachers as some of them had pending cases with the parent ministry. The pending cases include voluntary absenteeism from work, illegal strikes and many other issues. Some of the teachers who rejoined the profession in March last year are still to be paid, said Zhou. The PSC said there were still outstanding issues that needed to be dealt. The commission said it would effect their salaries once the cases had been concluded.
It was revealed some of the teachers had sought a pardon for their cases but the pardon was still to come. We are still awaiting the final hand down of the pardon in writing. This, we understand, will then enable the PSC to facilitate the release of the teachers salaries, said Zhou. Education, Art, Sports, and Culture Minister, David Coltart, earlier this week revealed he would take the teachers grievances to the three principals of the inclusive government.