The newly-formed Teachers for Economic Development (ED) union is reportedly holding midweek workshops at schools forcing teachers to abandon classes.
Some workshops are said to have already taken place at learning institutions in Zvishavane, Bulawayo and Marondera in recent days, according to NewsDay.
The group, seen as sympathetic to the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is popularly known as ED, was given the nod by the government to “roll out its economic development” programmes in all schools.
It is reported that hundreds of teachers are reportedly abandoning classes to attend the workshops to avoid victimisation.
Schools are allegedly being forced to use their own funds to cater for the travel and subsistence expenses of the organisers.
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro defended the mid-week workshops being conducted by the Teachers for ED union saying they were “enriching” the education sector.
Ndoro said the workshops actually enriched the value of education. He said:
Teachers for Economic Development is a full-fledged teachers’ union with its own resources generated from its economic development projects; so I ask, why would a vehicle with a full tank of fuel go to a fuel station?
Some teachers’ unions are, however, concerned about the government’s selective treatment of the Teachers for ED grouping.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said any other teachers’ union would not have been allowed to mobilise teachers for workshops during the week.
He added that under the Teachers for ED programme, teachers are being promised access to government loans, promotions, and mining rights, among others, which should be accessible to any teacher.
Zimbabwe National Teachers Union chief executive officer Manuel Nyawo said the TeachersforED formation is a well-calculated plan to weaken the collective bargaining power of unions.”
drake · 2 years ago
Teachers for ED, that's ridiculous and ironic...wat kind of economy will they develop while the rulers themselves are failing. Let them not hide behind a finger, if they want to join politics let them do so publicly,,, ooohh maybe they want to follow Mugabe's footprints who used to tell them, "l was once a teacher and l left for politics"..Kkkk Teachers, we thought you are educated enough and fast to assess and validate your so called cohort "Teachers for Emerson Dambudzo"... You will continue to wallow yourself in poverty, how can you rally behind someone who is not even recognizing you..Does this group of teachers involve the young or it's for those who trained in the late 90s... you don't sound like teachers, you worse more dull like the makorokoza and the hwindi, ...Teachers for ED,, you are the cohort of the hoodlums, dullard and psychopath
fun time · 2 years ago
If only they knew that being a teacher means you are a permanent member of the state. The state includes the constitution, judiciary, executive, legislature , [history, resources, territory, security service, civil service] by being a government worker you do not need to stoop low and involve yourself in party politics. Govt services are way above party politics. eg. Ministers are temporary employees seconded by the party but the real custodians of those ministries are the permanent secretaries down to the last junior civi servant, they hold the fort despite all the political guff, chaos and manipulations often associated with such. Even the president follows protocol the standards of which are kept by the chief secretary who holds the articles of the office of the president even when noone is in that office.
fun time · 2 years ago
If only they knew that being a teacher means you are a permanent member of the state. The state includes the constitution, judiciary, executive, legislature , [history, resources, territory, security service, civil service] by being a government worker you do not need to stoop low and involve yourself in party politics. Govt services are way above party politics. eg. Ministers are temporary employees seconded by the party but the real custodians of those ministries are the permanent secretaries down to the last junior civi servant, they hold the fort despite all the political guff, chaos and manipulations often associated with such. Even the president follows protocol the standards of which are kept by the chief secretary who holds the articles of the office of the president even when noone is in that office.
General Hercules · 2 years ago
this is Africa bro wake up.what you are talking about happens in full democracies.not authoritarian gvts
