Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe [PTUZ] secretary general, Mr Raymond Majongwe says they were going to engage the courts if the government fails to address the incapacitation of teachers.
He said this in an Interview yesterday, revealing that if the woes of teachers continue they were going to engage the courts adding that there is a lot of issues about teachers that needs to be addressed.
Majongwe also responded to what the government was proposing that it will cut payments for teachers who will not report for duty and those who will offer extra lessons to students insisting that the government had another work to focus on, which he said was to address issues of theft and corruption that was happening in the country.
“If teachers issues are not addressed in a transparent manner we will go to court because there are several things that must be put in the right direction, they can do what they want they are the government and we are only a Trade Union.
“We need People that nature, finding out that who is taking our diamonds and gold out of Zimbabwe rather than looking for people who are teaching Zimbabwean children. We had gold that is going out through the boarders of Zimbabwe and people who are doing that have not been arrested yet. Why do they want to arrest teachers who are empowering other children.” said Majongwe.
He also added that as a Trade Union they don’t have anything more to say emphasizing that they are just waiting for the government to review teachers salaries.
“We don’t have anything to say because we had already portrayed our side and what we are waiting for is for teachers salaries to be reviewed.” He added.
Majongwe reiterated that the government is refusing to address teachers problems claiming that the government is not walking the talk.
“Government is refusing to talk to its workers the same government that says it is a listening government and it has an open door policy, it is not listening. It is a dirty government. They say they will turn left while they turn right. ” He said.
This comes after Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said the ministry was now invoking the principle of paying only those teachers reporting for duty.
“We are summoning the principle of no work no salary with immediate effect,
“Teachers who do not report for duty or those who go to their schools and not do their work will not be paid.
“We have requested school heads to compile lists of such names and we will forward them to the Public Service Commission so that those not doing their work will not be paid.” said Mathema.
More so, Ambassador Mathema warned teachers doing private extra lessons for a premium that they were not allowed to do so.
“Government is also warning teachers who are doing private lessons,
“There is a trend that some teachers are no longer doing their jobs at schools, but doing private lessons instead. That is not allowed and the Government is following up on these unlawful acts.” He said.
The government is currently engaging the public service through the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) to address teachers’ remuneration concerns.
