Think the shutdown is over? Think again as teachers associations say they are embarking on a massive strike next week after rejecting governmentโ€™s measly allowance offer.

Last Friday government offered civil servants a cushion allowance of 22% which they out-rightly rejected.

In an interview with CITE, Progressive Teacherโ€™s Union of Zimbabwe ย (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said the government offer is too low and unrealistic.

โ€œThe government increased salaries from 10% to 18% which still falls far short to the inflation in the country,โ€ said Zhou.

โ€œIt also does not suffice teachers with adequate purchasing power for basic commodities.โ€

He said the government should be able to address both monetary and non-monetary issues that teachers are demanding.

โ€œThere are a lot of issues that need to be looked at, teachers need to pay for transport , school feesย  for their children just as any other parent,โ€ said Zhou.

โ€œTeachers offer services to their students but cannot take their own children to boarding school, at least their own children should be able to go to boarding schoolโ€.

He added: โ€œWe are also requesting for teacher empowerment, there are no textbooks in schools, this should be up to teachers to write textbooks in order for students to be equipped,โ€

Zhou stated that the 14 day notice to the government lapses on Friday and failure by government to meet their demands will see the civil servants embark on a full blown strike next week.

โ€œUnless the government comes up with something that satisfies teachers, there will be a full throttle strike next week,โ€ he said.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu said teachers are still incapacitated to provide full services.

โ€œThe teacher remains incapacitated as long as sufficient resources are not provided,โ€ said Ndlovu.

He said the future is bleak as teachers still have to stand in long bank queues to access the little money they get from their employer.

โ€œThe future is not bright at all, teachers have to queue for $50 which cannot sustain them for more than a day,โ€ said Ndlovu.

โ€œTeachers are willing to teach but they are unable to due to their incapacitationโ€.

The associations are meeting today to map the way forward.

Lungile is the Social Media Editor and a dynamic multimedia journalist at CITE in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. With expertise in social media management, she excels in leveraging digital platforms to engage audiences...

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