Paul Nyathi

SCHOOL teachers around the country failed to turn up for duty on Monday heeding to boycott calls by their various unions.

The teachers are demanding a US$550 salary.

Teachers unions confirmed nearly all their members did not report for duty on Monday.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) said only one percent of its members reported for duty in Matabeleland North following the resumption of Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) examinations classes.

“Teachers failed to turn up for duty. A survey conducted by the ARTUZ today (Monday) revealed that about 5% of teachers showed up in Mashonaland East and Matabeleland North was the worst hit with around 1 percent of our teachers showing up for duty.

“We still urge the government to engage teachers so that normalcy can be restored in our schools. Teachers should be paid a living wage and we still demand US$520 for all teachers,” said Masaraure.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) also said about 95 percent of its membership failed to report for duty.

“The response of the first day of opening was very encouraging. There was over 95 percent upsets of teacher in schools, confirming what we have highlighted to the government that teachers are incapacitated and that teachers could not be so silly to leave their own children at home whilst they are going to school to teach other people’s children.

“The fees that have been increased from $25 000 to $60 000 are beyond the reach of all the teachers who are now earning about $2 600 after funeral deductions of over $1 000 this month.

“So, it is clear that the teachers have spoken and their poverty and misery have shown beyond doubt that they are incapacitated and in the majority of schools even some heads failed to turn up because they are incapacitated and where a few heads turned up, they decided to send children home,” said PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou.

The ZCTU backed the teachers strike. Watch video downloading below: