Own Correspondent|The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have warned that thousands of teachers under their membership will not resume duty when schools open next week for first the term of 2020.

The teachers are disgruntled over low salaries and poor working conditions.

Raymond Majongwe, secretary general of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), said that his union members have decided to take on the strike action whether or not government is agreeable to it.

“You cannot expect teachers to go back to work when they have no money for transport, when their children cannot go to school,” he said.

“I do not see schools opening because teachers that I have seen, whose comments I see everyday are vowing that they are not going to return to work.

“I do not see any school opening because they (teachers) have garnered enough courage and zeal to say ’hapana kusiri kudzingwa basa’ (being paid low wages is just as good as dismissal). The teachers will only report back to work when their issues have been addressed, when issues around remuneration and others have been dealt with,” Majongwe said.

Obert Masaraure, the president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) said they will not waste time going to work next week until government hears their concerns.

“The teachers are earning (equivalent) US$30 per month, which is not enough to cater for the education of their dependants, food, shelter, health care and even transport to work,” he said  .

“We will not pretend to be teaching when we are not, we cannot hazard the future of innocent children by giving them substandard education, we will teach when the conditions are right.

“The poor performance of the 2019 Grade 7 class is a wake-up call for both parents and teachers.”