Some teacher unions say their members are not ready for the commencement of the Second Term and are incapacitated but are dragging themselves to work to avoid reprisals by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The 2023 Second Term starts today, 08 May, but unlike in previous years, teacher unions have not been urging their members to go on strike.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou on Sunday told NewsDay that teachers lack motivation to effectively discharge their duties. Zhou said:
Teachers are demotivated and have outstanding legitimate demands that have not been addressed by the PSC [Public Service Commission] emanating from their discrimination in salary increases in which other government workers have been awarded salary increases four times that of teachers.
Above all, the quantum leap of inflation and increase in basic (commodity prices) has left them virtually incapacitated.
They are parents as well and together with other parents have no money to pay for exorbitant fees paid in US dollars, particularly in boarding schools.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZTA) secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said:
As teachers, we have gotten used to the government ill-treating us, particularly on salaries.
So in terms of preparedness, the teachers are not very much prepared, but they are sympathetic to the learners.
Taderera added that teachers were going to work to evade punishment from their employer.
Last month, the Government awarded civil servants a 100 percent salary increment but it has been rendered worthless by the precipitous fall in value of the Zimbabwe dollar on the parallel market.
Before the salary increment was announced, the rate was roughly US$1: ZWL$1 800 but it has since moved to US$1:2 700.
The Government also increased the COVID-19 allowance to US$250 for all civil servants excluding those in the health sector, up from US$200.
Civil servants are, however, demanding US$840 per month.
More: Pindula News