The NJNC meeting held on Tuesday yielded nothing but more pain and anger to the teachers of Zimbabwe. The government is not serious about improving the welfare of the teachers and the education system. The new salary offer today by the government is as follows:
B1- $13590
C5-$14105
D1-$15077
E1-$16430
As Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ we reject the above salary offer by the government because it is just a drop in the ocean to capacitate the teachers and bring them back out of the trenches to the classrooms.
Teachers are not seeking a salary increment but the restoration of a US$520 monthly salary. The employer must respect the teachers who have been humble enough to come to the negotiation table for a salary that was illegally slashed using some pro-slavery policies without consultation.
Teachers are now a symbol of poverty in the society. The education system in Zimbabwe which used to be among the best in the African continent is now one of the worst because teachers are demotivated to work due to poor remuneration and poor working conditions. Innocent learners are currently denied their right to state funded basic education by some arrogant authorities.
As Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ we are giving the employer seven days from now to address the teachers needs and the learners’ right to education. Failure to that we will not hesitate to mobilize teachers and march towards the Ministry of finance and, Ministry of Public Service Offices peacefully demonstrating against this ill treatment.
We are getting fed up with negotiations and press conferences that yield nothing while teachers continue to live miserable lives. We are warning the Minister of Finance and Minister of Public Service that failure to capacitate the teachers, we are going to camp at your offices, unapologetic until you address our needs.
Source: Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union Zimbabwe (ARTUZ)
