Govt Gives Striking Teachers 22 February Ultimatum

The Government has said it will not be held to ransom by teachers who have either not reported for duty or are reporting for duty but not teaching.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Public Service Commission (PSC) said all teachers, deputy heads and heads of schools who do not report for duty by Tuesday 22 February 2022 will be deemed to have resigned from the service. Said the PSC:

The government notes with concern that, in spite of the significant steps it has taken to improve conditions of service, working with the Apex Council, some teachers continue to absent themselves from work, with some reporting for duty but not working.

This has had the effect of depriving learners of their inalienable right to education as well as prejudicing parents of their significant investment in their children’s education.

This behaviour on the part of some teachers is all the more distressing in view of the fact that it is coming at a time when learners have already lost more than a month of learning in 2022 alone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and were therefore looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with their studies.

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Such behaviour cannot be tolerated as it will have a lasting, negative impact on an entire generation.

The PSC added that teachers who are reporting for duty but not teaching will also be deemed to have resigned.

All those who fail to report for duty by the 22nd of February and were occupying institutional accommodation are expected to move out with immediate effect, the PSC said.

The PSC invited unemployed trained teachers, university and college graduates in the sciences, engineering, technical, vocational areas and other disciplines who are interested in joining the teaching profession to ensure that they are registered at the nearest district education offices as the recruitment process shall begin soon after the 22nd of February 2022.

Headmasters and teachers deemed to have resigned shall not be eligible for this recruitment. Said the PSC:

Government has taken the position that it will now work with those who demonstrate their commitment by performing their duties at all times to serve the nation.

In terms of Section 75 sub-section 4 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, concerning the right to education, the Government of Zimbabwe has already taken reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of the right to education.

More: Pindula News