Daily News
By Chengetayi Zvauya, Staff Writer
Thursday, 24 February 2011
HARARE – Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart, has put in motion plans to protect teachers from political harassment during elections.
Coltart told Parliament on Wednesday that he was working on a document that will be presented to Cabinet, outlining the new measures that include bans on political gatherings in schools.
“There are measures we are going to put in place to protect the teachers and I shall inform Parliament once I have finished tabling the matter in Cabinet, said Coltart. “I am in touch with the teachers unions constantly on matters concerning their members who are harassed.â€
The feisty minister said the violence of 2008 did not spare the teachers who were easily targeted by suspected Zanu PF supporters in the run up to the run off.
“I know that in 2008 elections we had problems. It was very difficult as there was a lot of political intimidation to the teachers, but now there are a few cases, but we don’t want any single case of political victimisation,’’ said Coltart.
He said he had established a close working relationship with the three unions representing teachers and was on course to help mitigate the problems haunting the profession.
Coltart was responding to a question from Chinhoyi MP Stewart Garadhi, who enquired what measures government had put in place to protect teachers against harassment and violations.
Zanu PF supporters in the volatile rural areas have been accused of turning some schools into bases to conduct their party business.
Their critics say they target teachers in their “indoctrinations†because they are seen as sympathetic to the MDC faction led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
During the 2008 elections thousands of teachers fled from their teaching posts in the rural areas after being harassed and victimised by Zanu PF supporters.