By Staff Reporter
THE Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has castigated the ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for apportioning itself the role of a trade union while disrespecting and belittling the current legitimate teachers trade unions.
The ministry’s spokesperson Taungana Ndoro was recently quoted in the press claiming that the ministry represents about two – thirds of teachers who are not affiliated to any trade unions.
“We welcome all unions who represent teachers for the betterment of the educational system. However, the ministry also represents about two-thirds of the teachers who are not subscribing to any union,” Ndoro was quoted as saying.
Ndoro ‘s claims have however touched a raw nerve within teachers trade unions.
“We note with deep concern the continued demeaning of teacher unions by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro. Fundamentally, Ndoro is trying to water down the importance of unions on the basis of a false pretext that they represent one third of teachers in Zimbabwe. For the avoidance of doubt, this is a lie. We have 140 000 teachers in Zimbabwe, and for Ndoro to claim that unionized members are 46 666 is a travesty of reality and dangerous misinformation,” said Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou in an interview with NewZimbabwe.com.
Zhou challenged Ndoro to back up his assertions by showing the density of unionized teachers across the union divide.
“Ndoro also makes a dangerous, acidic, arid and toxic assertion that the Ministry has taken a paternalistic approach of representing the majority of teachers (two thirds) that are not unionised. The Big question, and problem of all problems and evil of all evils is who has appointed Ministry the representative of these teachers? Such misrepresentation of facts and insults of teacher unions cannot be taken lightly,” said PTUZ boss.
Zhou implored the government to amend Statutory Instrument 141 of 1997 in line with section 65 of the
“One wonders how a line Ministry has suddenly metamorphosised into trade unionism. It also reveals how the government has been unilaterally giving starvation wages to teachers because it has been negotiating with itself through the self -appointing Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education,” he said.
