Teachers demo on today

By zimind | Nov. 23, 2017 | 2 Min read

THE Amalgamated Rural Teachers’s Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has organised a protest march today to force Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora to step down for allegedly failing to protect teachers against abuse during Zanu PF campaign rallies.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

On Monday, the ARTUZ gave Dokora a 48-hour ultimatum to step down, which he ignored. ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said the union had “since scaled up its demand for Dokora to resign by calling for nationwide demonstrations against the failed minister”.

Masaraure said they were demanding restoration of sanity in the education sector after learning was disrupted during rallies as teachers and students were forced not only to attend, but sponsor them.

“Dokora stands as one of the worst Ministers of Education Zimbabwe has had since independence and was only appointed because of his proximity to the disgraced former First Lady Grace Mugabe.

“As the head of the ministry responsible for education he also failed to protect learners, teachers and school property which were abused by Grace Mugabe and her husband,” Masaraure said in a statement yesterday.

He added: “Dokora has also been fingered in the abuse of monies in the education sector by sponsoring Grace Mugabe’s so-called meet the people rallies. The minister is also arrogant and corrupt. He does not respect education practitioners, especially teachers whom he has consistently threatened, scolded and undermined in public.”

The Primary and Secondary Education minister has attracted criticism over what educationists and civic society describe as controversial policies such as introduction of the national pledge which was roundly criticised as some form of indoctrination. Dokora was even dragged to court to force him to abandon it without success.