By Own Correspondent
Progressive Teacher’s Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has urged its members to wear ‘anything’ they afford as their salaries are not enough to cover the prescribed formal wear.
This comes after teachers raised their concerns with a government demand that they are urgently addressed.
Teachers are demanding an upward review of their salaries which they want to be pegged at the prevailing interbank rate.
According to the various civil servants’ unions, their remunerations are being eroded by inflation and barely cover their transport costs, food let alone formal dressing.
In a statement released this Wednesday, PTUZ secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe said unlike some professions, government teachers did not have a dressing allowance, therefore, cannot afford ‘expensive dresses and suits’.
“Following intensive consultations with the generality of membership on dress code, comrades we are reiterating our position earlier communicated to Public Service Commission that due to serious incapacitation it is increasingly becoming difficult to adhere to the prescribed dress code.
Unlike everyone else who is getting a dressing allowance, teachers are not getting any support in this regard. We have therefore taken a position to say when reporting for duty put on anything you can afford except nudity. We cannot afford expensive dresses and suits when our stomachs are empty,” reads the statement.
