By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent

LEARNERS at 10 sampled schools in Makonde district have been left stranded after disgruntled teachers have boycotted class since schools reopened Monday.

Teachers claim financial incapacitation to report for duty in light of their poor Zim-dollar based wages estimated to be equal to just US$30 per month.

According to a leaked Ministry of Education’s strategic planning and programme management report for Makonde district, tutors from 10 schools in Chinhoyi failed to turn up for lessons, leaving scores of pupils stranded.

Three examination classes, Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced Levels were supposed to resume after almost six months of closure due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

At Sinioa Primary School, of the 31 authorised teacher establishment, only nine came to work, but they did not conduct lessons.

About 145 children were expected to be in attendance, but only 129 managed to come to school.

Chinhoyi High School was the only school that saw about 42 teachers attend classes out of a possible 50, while 323 students attended from a possible 372.

It is the only school that had teachers attending to students.

Chinhoyi 2 High School had the worst record from the two high schools in Chinhoyi.

Out of the 90 teachers, only 33 attended but did not conduct any lessons, while 670 children out of an expected 851 registered their presence.

Chinhoyi Primary School faired dismally as only two teachers out of a maximum 62 attended but did not teach the 206 pupils out of an expected 302.

Council-run primary schools, Chaedza, Mhanyame and Ruvimbo were also affected by the low turnout of the teachers.

At Chaedza, only one out of 34 teachers came but no teaching was done to the 180 students out of a possible 160, while Mhanyame had only two teachers from an expected 17, with 145 children coming to school out of 166.

Ruvimbo also had two teachers in attendance but did not teach the 145 pupils that came from a possible 166.

Lomagundi Primary School saw six teachers coming to school out of the expected 23, who could not attend classes to the 94 children from a possible 100.

Chikonohono Primary School had its fair share of teachers who did not pitch up for work too.

Out of a possible 64 teachers, only three were in attendance but they did not conduct lessons to the 314 students from the 376, who were expected to be in school.

Chirorodziva Primary School saw five teachers from an authorised establishment coming to school from a possible 37.

About 109 students came to school with about 62 students opting not to attend school.