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NewsDay

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Rural teachers plot more flash demos

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RURAL teachers are plotting to hold more “surprise protests” in the countryside as they push the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government to address the current education crisis.

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

RURAL teachers are plotting to hold more “surprise protests” in the countryside as they push the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government to address the current education crisis.

Last week, parents and teachers in Mutoko caught the police off guard after holding a demonstration at Mutoko Centre before handing over a petition to the district schools inspector demanding fair salaries, among other grievances.

Six women were arrested after the protest and charged with staging demonstrations without police clearance.

NewsDay is reliably informed that some teachers and parents are set to hold a similar protest at one of the growth points in Marondera district as they intensify their call for better working conditions.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure yesterday confirmed that they were rolling out protests in every district, especially in the rural areas.

“More (protests) are coming, we are covering all education districts. We do not want to alert the State. We are focusing on rural areas for now. The objective is to build community resilience to protect the right to education in the face of rising inequality and climate change,” he said.

ARTUZ is currently mobilising parents to join teachers in the protests. Parents are currently at loggerheads with government following recent policy discord over examination fees. “We are setting up an education board in every education district. The board is composed of teachers and parents, such a board will lead advocacy initiatives on the right to education,” said Masaraure.

Teachers have since declared incapacitation with most of them especially in the rural areas not reporting for duty. The teachers have called on government to increase their salaries in the face of hyper-inflation.