Zimta calls off strike

Sunday Mail
By Kuda Bwititi
20th September 2009

THE Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) has called off the strike by its members, saying the Government has shown a genuine desire to address the teachers’ plight.

Zimta president Mrs Tendai Chikowore told journalists in Harare yesterday that the decision means all striking teachers should resume duties tomorrow while the association continues negotiations with Government. Mrs Chikowore said the teacher representative body was giving the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, room to finalise an arrangement he was pursuing with its National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).

“The national executive committee convened on September 18 2009 and resolved to call off the teachers’ strike by Monday 21 September,” she said.

“The latest bold step by the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture to facilitate the speedy NJNC engagement is acknowledged and appreciated and we would like to give the effort a chance.
“The meetings will also be conducted with the Ministry of Public Service. We are hopeful that a fruitful outcome will be reached.”

Last month, Zimta embarked on an industrial action to press for better salaries and conditions of service. Teachers are earning an average of US$155 per month.

The strike, which began on the eve of the third term of school, saw the association’s members stay away from class, depriving pupils of critical learning time.

Despite Government assurances that civil service salaries would be reviewed in line with corresponding capital inflows, Zimta would have none of it.

Members of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and the Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (TUZ), however, continued to report for duty.

Mrs Chikowore said her association had had a change of heart after also considering the plight of students, some of whom are scheduled to sit for “O” and “A” level examinations in November.

She said parents and various other stakeholders had continued to appeal to Zimta to consider the fate of students. She criticised teachers and schools that took advantage of the strike to rip off desperate students and parents.

“The strike has been used by some educators as a leverage to extract more and more unrestricted incentives from desperate parents, guardians and orphaned and vulnerable children,” she said.

“This development has made education more and more inaccessible to the less privileged learners by raising the cost of education.”

Zimta acting chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said although the association had earlier demanded a basic salary of US$500, it was prepared to compromise to ensure fruitful negotiations.

“The US$500 figure that we had suggested was in line with the poverty datum line,” he said.