Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. TEACHERS across Zimbabwe are allegedly being forced to attend Teachers for Economic Development (Teachers4ED) workshops, with revelations that they are compulsorily made to pay US$35 attendance fees.
Teachers4ED is one of the several Zanu PF affiliates created to campaign for President Emmerson Mnangagwa ahead of the August 2023 harmonised elections.
Earlier reports had indicated that the initial programmes were being funded by schools amid revelations that teachers are being forced to fund them.
According to reports, teachers are baffled by the pressure being applied on them to attend the workshops, while being forced to pay from their meagre salaries.
Some teachers, who spoke to NewsDay, said they were being threatened by school heads to attend the meetings, with the latest being lined up for Gwanda in Matabeleland South province.
The teachers also expressed concern that despite being seriously underpaid, Zanu PF, through Teachers4ED, was frog-marching them to attend such “useless” events against their will.
“We struggle to survive due to very poor wages that the government is paying us and it is grossly unfair and a serious violation of our rights for the school heads to be forcing us to attend such events, let alone forcing us to part with such an amount towards the useless programmes,” one of the teachers said.
“This kind of treatment will force most of us to resign because we are being abused left right and centre by these people.”
Obert Masaraure said teachers should, for once, stand up for themselves and defend their rights.
“They should not behave like second-class citizens in their own country. For how long are they going to unwillingly submit to illegal partisan programmes?” Masaraure asked rhetorically.
“Teachers4ED is a failed brainwashing programme that has no space in the education system.
“Why would individuals part with US$35 to pay for such an irrational programme?
“If we have aggrieved teachers, the union stands ready to support by suing the organisers, but for once teachers must stop behaving like sheep.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said he had not been informed of such developments.
“I am not aware of teachers forced to attend. It happened when Teachers4ED started, but seems to have suffered a natural death,” he said.
“Teachers4ED seem to have unfettered support from ministry officials. That must stop forthwith.
“There may be direct and indirect pressure from some school heads, who are affiliated to Zanu PF.”
Added Zhou: “All the same, teachers are professionals who must use their intellect to make sound choices.
“All teachers must be aware of freedom of association and resist any form of manipulation at their workplaces.
“Where such rights are violated teachers must get in touch with teacher unions of their choice which can assist.
“All the same, all those who voluntarily join Teachers4ED workshops anticipating that they will be better-off than other teachers must stop claiming they were forced to attend such workshops.
“Where any school head applies undue pressure, let it be known that teachers have a right to freedom of association that they must lean on.”
Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro yesterday said the professional development and welfare of teachers remained a top priority for the government.
He said teachers’ voluntary participation in any lawful extracurricular association was respected.
“The choice to associate is a fundamental right of every educator in Zimbabwe,” Ndoro said.
“It is notable that the Teachers4ED movement enjoys overwhelming support from the teaching profession across the country due to its alignment with the government’s transformative policies in the education sector.
“Their events are consistently well attended by a voluntary membership base that significantly outnumbers that of other teacher associations.
“This widespread voluntary participation clearly demonstrates that the allegations of coercion are not only baseless, but are a misrepresentation of the genuine support the initiative commands.”
He said Teachers4ED had more members than Artuz or PTUZ.
“The ministry encourages all stakeholders to focus on collaborative efforts to advance the education sector, rather than engaging in unfounded claims that seek to create unnecessary divisions within the teaching community,” Ndoro said.
“Any teacher, who feels their rights have been infringed upon, is encouraged to follow official channels and report their specific case to the ministry for investigation.”
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