Teachers not giving up fight against Zanu-PF

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) is engaging stakeholders in the education sector in a bid to find effective ways of stopping Zanu-PF from forcing pupils from attending its political functions.

The union is also determined to stop the ruling party from abusing school properties.

Artuz had successfully sought a High Court interdict to bar Zanu-PF from forcing or asking pupils and teachers to attend political rallies.

The interdict had also barred Zanu-PF from using school property for political activities, including buses.

But Zanu-PF appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted the relief sought.

Its lawyers argued in the Supreme Court that the High Court had issued the order without proof of any of the alleged infractions.

Last month, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court judgment.

Artuz president Obert Masaraure told the Daily News yesterday that apart from plans to apply for a declaratory order, stakeholders would be engaged to find alternative ways to stop Zanu-PF from abusing schools property and children.

"We have also drafted safe schools regulations and we will be going to communities seeking their support.

"As soon as we get buy in from all stakeholders in education we will be pushing the parent ministry to adopt the regulations," he said.

"A certification board will soon be set up to monitor compliance with the safe schools regulations; certification will be conferred to complying schools. Zanu-PF is driven by its sole agenda of power preservation; we have to engage ordinary citizens to protect their own schools from the machinations of the self-serving ruling party."