Government investigates absentee teachers

GOVERNMENT is investigating cases of teachers who did not report for duty to determine whether their reasons are genuine or not, after the deadline for them to return to their stations lapsed on Tuesday.

Government had given striking teachers until Tuesday to resume work or be regarded as having resigned voluntarily.

Most teachers were refusing to report for duty when schools opened for the first term on February 7, citing incapacitation.

They have been demanding pre-2018 US dollar salaries of up to US$500.

President Mnangagwa had to intervene and directed that civil servants be given a 20 percent salary increase plus US$100 beginning next month and other non-monetary benefits such as paying tuition fees for teachers children.

Some teachers, however, refused to report for duty prompting the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to suspend them without pay for three months for failing to report to work.

However, a High Court challenge by suspended teachers' representatives to stay the suspensions was granted.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) then announced that the teachers must return to class by Tuesday.

Primary and Secondary Education communication and advocacy director, Mr Taungana Ndoro said they were in the process of finding out who had genuine reasons for their absence from schools as from opening day.

"Someone did not come but was not able to give a reason, a valid reason. So we need to give a little bit more time for us to actually say, this person did not come to work deliberately. We can't give statistics and figures of those who really absconded from duty as of now. Perhaps in one or two weeks, we shall get a clear picture," said Mr Ndoro.

"What if that person was unconscious, injured or involved in an accident and they don't know what transpired? So there's a lot of due diligence that we need to do to find out what is really on the ground."

Mr Ndoro said this process includes all teachers and headmasters.

"Perhaps in two weeks time we would have published that there are people who are no longer part of the system. We may even receive resignation letters as there are a lot of things at play. There are people who would say, ‘I don't know why you want to fire me, as I actually resigned'," said Mr Ndoro.

"Those who weren't at work and only pitched up on February 22, the same will happen, due diligence will take place. They shall be asked why they were not at work."

Mr Ndoro said as a ministry, they were pleased with the attendance of teachers.

"So far attendance of teachers at school has been very very encouraging, in fact it was almost 100 percent. Even as of yesterday the attendance was great. This is why we are saying we have to do due diligence on anybody who was absent for one reason or another," said Mr Ndoro.

Bulawayo had the highest number of teachers who absconded lessons during the industrial action.

This is according to statistics presented to Parliament by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Evelyn Ndlovu last week.

According to the statistics, Bulawayo had the least number of teachers turning up for work ever since schools opened with 41,5 percent, followed by Matabeleland North 44,5 percent, Midlands 45,7 percent, Mashonaland Central 45,8 percent, Mashonaland West 49,4 percent, Matabeleland South 50,1 percent, Harare 56,6 percent, Mashonaland East 57,3 percent, Manicaland 70 percent and Masvingo being the highest with 85,4 percent.