By Lerato Ndlovu
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has said it will target a hundred teachers per province to participate in a referendum on whether to proceed with the opening of schools or block it.
In a statement ARTUZ stated the proposed referendum will be put up for public scrutiny before it is implemented.
Teachers recently cited incapacitation, demanding that their salaries be reviewed upwards and working conditions improved.
“Our proposal should however be put to the test of public opinion, it is against this background that ARTUZ is rolling out a vote on whether to proceed with the fake opening of schools or to block it and push for a permanent solution to the education crisis.
“The Union will target teachers stationed in at least 100 schools per province as a sample for the referendum. A total of at least 1000 schools will participate in the referendum.
“We will also target other citizens by taking the ballot to the streets, a total of at least 5 million voters will be targeted to decide”.
They stated that an online voting system will also be established for citizens who have access to online resources.
“Teachers position on second term opening, will be informed by the outcome of the referendum, if people agree to keep schools closed, teachers wont report for duty.
“Under such circumstances parents will be expected to keep their children at home as we collectively push for a solution to the education crisis.
“The union will finalise on all logistics and make announcements on dates and venues for the voting, this will be a historic moment for citizens to decide the future of education.
“We have allowed government to lead us on a destructive path for too long, it is time we the people take over and redirect the management of education in our great nation,” it read.
