Controversial indigenisation drive divide teachers

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) Bulawayo province annual conference in Bulawayo has raised eyebrows among its members as the theme centres on the controversial indigenisation drive.

The three day conference theme is "Enhancing the status of teachers through economic empowerment."

According to the programme, Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere is expected to give a keynote address on Friday.

"Instead of discussing crucial issues such as salaries, we are forced to talk about indigenisation. We all know the havoc that it has done in the mining sector and now banks are targeted" fumed one teacher at conference venue at Holiday Inn.

Zimta executives were this morning looked up in "meetings aimed at clearing the air on economic empowerment."

Zimta, has been accused of being pro Zanu-PF.

Teachers in Zimbabwe rank among the lowly paid workers.

However, some teachers feel that they need to be economically empowered by government.

They said most of them are a laughing stock in the society.

"A majority of our members are lodges in the townships, don't have cars and that is affecting our performance. We need government to empower us with loans to purchases housing stands and other things," said teacher who identified herself as Masina.