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Teachers petition government over “education crisis”

by Kudakwashe Vhenge

By Trevor Makonyonga

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has moved to petitioning the government over the ongoing crisis in the education sector.

In a petition statement, ARTUZ gave reasons for petitioning the government key among those being incapacitation.

“We the teachers of Zimbabwe organizing under the banner of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ in collaboration with other progressive citizens; Angered by government’s failure to resolve the teacher incapacitation crisis; Worried that the majority of our learners are failing to either pay school fees or buy learning materials; Concerned with the safety of both learners and teachers in the physical school environment in the face of COVID19. Noting that schools have once again failed to effectively and safely open today 22 March 2021; alarmed by the unmitigated deterioration of the education sector; committed to the peaceful resolution of the education crisis,” read the statement.

ARTUZ also said that the government has been ignoring their petitions promising to escalate “multiple forms of protests.”

“Following up on recent petitions submitted on 11 December, 29 January and 26 February 2021; we once again petition your esteemed office to; Restore the pre October 2018 salary of teachers which stood at a minimum of USD 520 as a way of addressing the teacher incapacitation crisis. Capacitate our schools to enable them to adhere to the June 2020 government produced Standard Operating Procedures in the face of COVID19. Support all vulnerable learners with paying school fees and acquiring learning materials in pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal number 4 on inclusive access to education.

“We note that the attitude of your office is to ignore our noble petitions. We have resolved to escalate multiple forms of protests in a bid to push you to attend to your constitutional mandate of providing basic education,” said ARTUZ.

The teachers also implored the government to save the education sector using the hashtag #SaveOurEducationZw.

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