As young women, young mothers and young parents we are outraged by the current status of our country’s education. Teachers of our children are now paupers instead of being role models and torch bearers for the future of our children and beloved country. The dignity of our educators has since been lost due to the meagre salaries that Teachers are paid. Our children are losing faith of the very education system that they are supposed to look up to for a better future. The classrooms which are supposed to give them hope are telling a different story of hopelessness. The life of our children is in jeopardy. They are continuously losing out on their constitutional right to education and remain vulnerable to all forms of abuse at home and in the communities.
The state of our education and government’s total disregard on the welfare of our teachers is clearly a class and gendered warfare. As young, low class/poor women and mothers, we embrace our responsibility and national duty to bring life to our country. We are working tirelessly to safeguard the future of our children by religiously paying school fees. Yet, our children still find themselves deprived of a better future because schools are closed. Because the government is not heeding the Teachers’ calls for a decent salary. Our government is failing us and preparing us for a vicious cycle of trauma to perpetually be caregivers to our children after they suffer abuse in the homes and community. We call upon the government of Zimbabwe to accord our children their constitutional right to education through urgent restoration of the Teachers’ dignity by paying them decent salaries.
We call upon the United Nations Children’s Fund to recognise the state of education as a national crisis and call upon the Zimbabwean government to guarantee children a learning and safe haven that schools are supposed to provide for them. We call upon all mothers and parents by whatever right to stand with our Teachers and demand #JusticeforTrsZw. Let us all remind the government of Zimbabwe that a middle income class by 2030 is not possible when our education system, which is one of the key anchors of our economy is in crisis. Let us remind the government of Zimbabwe that they should not leave anyone behind by denying our children a basic constitutional right to education.
“No effort should be spared to get children’s education back on track’’, Antonio Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations
Source: IYWD
