TEACHERS have threatened to withdraw invigilation services in the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) October to November examinations if the public exam body reneges on paying them their dues.
BY FARAI MATIASHE
In November last year, the educators demanded payment from Zimsec for invigilating public examinations, which the educationists said government agreed to.
In instituting their demand, teachers’ representatives said they were public service workers who are paid by the government for providing teaching services, therefore, invigilation was an extra job outside their duties.
In a letter addressed to Zimsec director Lazarus Nhambaware, Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said teachers were withdrawing invigilating services.
“We have observed no progress has been made in this regard (payment of invigilators) since our meeting with you and the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Paul Mavima) in February 2019. Your office seems to be reneging on what we agreed in principle in the February 2019 meeting that Zimsec was ready to pay teachers for invigilation,” he said.
“It is also against this background that we are advancing that teachers will not be available for invigilation if nothing concrete is put on offer come third term 2019.”
If government fails to uphold its end of the bargain, the move would put in jeopardy the November Grade 7, “O” and “A” Level Zimsec public examinations.
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Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavima told NewsDay last night that negotiations were underway between civil servants and government.
“I have not seen that. The only recent discussion was about teachers with disabilities with the Majongwe outfit. We are still engaged on that. Discussions are also underway between civil servants association and the government, teachers are also represented. The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has promised to address some of their issues. (Finance minister Mthuli Ncube) has also promised to address their grievances. So, I do not see why PTUZ would want to go on an industrial action,” he said.
