PROGRESSIVE Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has challenged government to introduce human rights and labour law courses in the teachers’ training curricular to broaden their knowledge and make them more competitive on the global market.
BY SILAS NKALA
PTUZ Matabeleland South chairperson, Urgent Moyo, told Southern Eye yesterday that local teacher training institutions should be mandated to offer courses on labour and human rights.
“While most teacher training colleges are conversant with what is required to produce teachers who are capable of taking charge of different levels of both primary and secondary education, it is important to note that teacher training is in dire need of revamping in order to align it with the demands of the world we are living in,” Moyo said.
“Teacher training has to encompass human rights issues and labour laws in order to produce teachers who will be able to articulate issues of human rights and also be in a position to defend themselves whenever confronted with such issues.”
He said the inclusion of these subjects will also greatly assist trade unions when it came to dealing with college graduates since they would be in a position to correctly interpret the law and what would be expected of them in the work place.
He also described the reduction of allowances for intern teachers as insensitive.
“The student teachers get $150 a month and are supposed to pay $100 towards their fees every month remaining with $50 for their up keep. The government has finally agreed to send our brothers and sisters to prostitution and crime by this unfair and insensitive move. If loans were availed for fees this could go a long way in easing pressure for these student teachers.”
