Zimbabwe: Rural Schools Fail to Reopen As Teachers Confront Govt Over Poor Salaries

Some schools in rural areas have failed to effectively reopen this month following teachers' disgruntlement with the government over its failure to address their welfare concerns.

The militant rural teachers' union, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), in collaboration said in a statement Monday a high number of rural schools had failed to smoothly reopen as teachers threatened to confront the government over poor salaries.

This has left most students who spent the better part of 2020 without attending class due to Covid-19, stranded.

In its statement ARTUZ said it was angered by the government's failure to resolve the teacher incapacitation crisis.

"Schools have once again failed to effectively and safely open today 22 March 2021," the statement reads.

"Restore the pre-October 2018 salary of teachers which stood at a minimum of US$520 as a way of addressing the teacher incapacitation crisis."

The teachers and other civil servants are demanding the government should also "capacitate our schools to enable them to adhere to the June 2020 government produced Standard Operating Procedures in the face of Covid-19.

"Support all vulnerable learners with paying school fees and acquiring learning materials in pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 on Inclusive Access to Education."

ARTUZ added it was concerned the government has repeatedly ignored petitions from the educators.

"We have resolved to escalate multiple forms of protests in a bid to push you to attend to your constitutional mandate of providing basic education. We once again implore you to #SaveOurEducationZw."

This article originally appeared on New Zimbabwe

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