Teachers renew vacation leave demand

Teachers have demanded from the new Primary and Education minister Paul Mavima reinstatement of vacation leave.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) secretary-general Robson Chere said Mavima's predecessor Lazarus Dokora had unjustly scrapped vacation leave.

Lazarus Dokora

Lazarus Dokora

"The issue of vacation should be addressed as a matter of urgency," he said. "Our position will remain clear guided by ILO standards workers and in this case teachers should be accorded the right to their leave.

"We are not enemies with the government but proponents of progress, equality and professionalism and will remain so in the hope of achieving a win-win situation."

In a statement, Progressive Teachers Union (Ptuz) said the new minister must restore hope in Zimbabwe's quality public education, empower teachers, and respect their professional freedom.

"We are aware that … Mavima has injured the trust from teachers on two occasions as Dokora's deputy. He reportedly called teachers drunkards and threatened to dismiss some.

"An investigation into a few cases of drunkenness and unprecedented increase of suicide cases among teachers would have helped the learned professor to appreciate the increase of stress among teachers and their students because of the commandist approach of Dokora and the evil of poverty.