‘Teachers meddle in politics at own peril’

News Day

 by Phillip Chidavaenzi

25 February 2013

The Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) has warned that teachers who opt to get involved in politics should be prepared to bear the consequences.

Zimta chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu yesterday told NewsDay that after some teachers were victimised in past elections, their investigations showed that some of those teachers were involved in active politics.

He said so far, his association had not received any reports of political victimisation from their members in rural schools.

“We have seen in the past that a number of victims of political violence had taken up active politics in one party or another. As of now, however, we have not received any reports of victimisation, although indications are that some teachers have indicated their desire to go into active politics,” he said.

Speaking at a Sapes Trust policy dialogue meeting in Harare last week, some stakeholders in the education sector expressed fear that schools in rural areas often became political hotbeds where teachers were victimised.

Fears that teachers would be targeted again as the country gears up for the constitutional referendum on March 16 and the subsequent elections likely to be held later in June, have been high.

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said his union was aware that teachers in rural areas, who were often easy targets of political violence due to the influence they wield, were now living in fear, ready to escape if the situation points to violence.

“Teachers have been victims of election violence. As we speak, everything seems to be going wrong. Teachers and pupils are on their toes. Teachers are branded sell-outs that need to be weeded out,” he said.

Ndlovu yesterday confirmed 132 teachers countrywide had been victimised in past elections and transferred to other schools.

Education minister David Coltart said the issue of violence against teachers was disturbing and urged political parties to appreciate that qualified teachers, most of whom were targeted for violence, were valuable assets in their constituencies.

“The issue of violence is disturbing,” he said. “If you are interested in your constituency, you will stop violence in schools because qualified teachers run away.”

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