(Last Updated on April 2, 2021 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – Teachers have threatened to go on strike after civil servants rejected the government’s latest salary review as tensions escalate between the two parties.
The country’s largest teachers union, Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) has warned that it’s members will start reporting for duty three times a week until government addresses their grievance particularly the restoration of their salaries to US$520.
“Having given the employer a conditional and interim opening of schools and fifteen (15) days to address teacher incapacitation, we now rescind our promise to be in class beyond Easter holidays.
“Thus, beginning the 6th of April 2021, our members will have a shorter working week to a maximum of three (3) days per week, ie Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays only,” ZIMTA said in a statement.
ZIMTA further labelled the latest offer from government an ‘April fool’s joke.’
Teachers have been incapacitated since last year and the negotiations with the employer have failed to reach a consensus so far which has negatively affected the students who have already lost out due to the pandemic.
Following the dismal grade 7 results, teacher’s unions blamed the failure by the government to address their issues as one of the main factors for such poor performance in the national examinations.