The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has demanded that teachers should be paid to invigilate the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) final examinations.
In a letter addressed to ZIMSEC, ARTUZ said teachers should be given contracts so that they get payments for doing extra work, that is, invigilating examinations. Wrote ARTUZ:
By signing contracts with teachers specifically for invigilation, ZIMSEC will establish a clear understanding of the expectations and responsibilities involved in this role.
This will help ensure that teachers are adequately compensated for their extra efforts and time dedicated to invigilating exams.
Moreover, having a formal agreement in place will provide a legal framework that protects both parties’ rights and obligations.
Speaking to NewsDay, ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said ZIMSEC is “exploiting” teachers by failing to pay them for invigilating public examinations. He said:
Teachers are being exploited and ZIMSEC is not remunerating the teachers for their invigilation efforts.
We had held several meetings with ZIMSEC on this issue, but nothing has come out.
Now we are having a situation whereby teachers are no longer willing to invigilate as long as they are not sure whether they are going to be paid.
However, Primary and Secondary Education Ministry spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro, said invigilating ZIMSEC examinations was part of teachers’ official duties, therefore, they should not demand extra payment. Ndoro said:
It’s part of the teacher’s job description to invigilate from the Public Service Commission’s point of view. So briefly, it is part of their role to invigilate.
ZIMSEC does not pay teachers for invigilating its examinations but teachers who successfully apply as examination markers get paid for their work.
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