Schools Reopen Without Teachers
Zimbabwe’s schools reopened on a low key on Monday as pupils were turned away from some schools because there were no teachers to conduct lessons.
This comes after the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), which represents 42 000 teachers said its members failed to report for duty due to incapacitation and lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs).
Other teacher unions such as the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) also declared incapacitation over the past few days.
ZIMTA chief-executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu told the Chronicle that their members resolved to boycott learning until the issue of PPEs in schools was addressed. He said:
Schools, especially public schools are yet to be equipped with PPEs and as ZIMTA we felt it was not proper to expose both teachers and pupils to COVID-19. Even parents don’t have money for PPEs and therefore you will note that most of our members failed to report for duty.
Government had also promised to recruit more teachers ahead of the reopening of schools and it wasn’t the case. Another issue is that teachers are incapacitated and they told us that they would have no bus fare to go to work.
Only ZIMSEC examination classes which are Grade Seven, Form Four and Form Six opened yesterday following Cabinet approval for a three-phased reopening of schools.
Grade Six, Form Three and Form Five classes are expected to open on October 26 with the rest of the pupils reopening on November 9.
Meanwhile, Cambridge sitting examination classes opened on September 14.
