Dr Takavafira Zhou
We have long communicated our position as Ptuz since last year that we needed:
1. A meeting with the employer before the opening of schools in 2025
2. Restoration of purchasing power parity of teachers’ basic salary to US$540
3. 30% of basic salary as hardship allowance
4. US$120 as school fees allowance
5. Realistic housing and transport allowances.
5. Effecting a host of other agreed allowances such as class teacher, ‘A’ level, ECD, bloated class, composite class and other responsible allowances.
6. Budget for implementation of the unilaterally imposed and rashed Heritage Based Curriculum in 2025. We reiterated that without a budget the envisaged new curriculum will be difficult to implement as teachers need to be workshoped over the standardisation and interoperability process and school based projects. Without a budget the school based projects will saddle parents just as CALA.
The employer has ignored our call for dialogue that is the basis for industrial harmony and productivity. As Ptuz we are still in the process of engaging our members and other Unions over the course of action to take as a collective. We are however perturbed by government arrogance at a critical time of our education system. Many teachers have as of now indicated that they are ill-prepared for opening schools and have no money to pay fees for their own children, let alone to travel to their respective schools. All the same, we must learn from history that isolated attempts to address the genuine concerns of teachers will not lead us anywhere and we call for serious discussions among teachers over a clear-cut way forward, the unity of all teachers across the union divide and for greater collaboration in our actions that can yield more traction. As Ptuz leadership, we remain ready to lead from the front in a United action of all teachers at a given signal by teachers and in collaboration with all other Unions.
Venceremos
Dr Takavafira Zhou is the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, president.