Members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) held an online general meeting with purpose to assess the union’s progress on its mandate whereupon it was resolved to demand a minimum salary of USD 1,260 and a reduction of the workweek from three days to two days.

The teachers also resolved to demand scrapping of GEMS and setting up of workers’ controlled mutual savings scheme; support the strike called for by ZIMTA, PTUZ, and the School Heads as well as launch an advocacy campaign to expose the worsening living and working conditions in schools.

They also resolved to demand a retention and attraction allowance for rural teachers; unfreezing of recruitment for new teachers and document the

exit of teachers from the profession; expose corruption in transfers, fight for the restoration of vacation leave, demand 90 days of indefinite sick leave, and demand a permissible

retirement age of 55 years and to publish an analysis of the Public Service Act bill and mobilize teachers and citizens to participate in the hearings for the bill.

The teachers also resolved to report to the ILO on the progress, or lack thereof, regarding the

Complaint and demand an education equalization fund to bridge the infrastructure gap as well as lobby for improved budgetary support for the implementation of the Heritage Based curriculum, push for the scrapping of the BEAM program and the introduction of per

capita education grants for all learners on an equitable basis and monitor the distribution of food for the school feeding program and sanitary pads.

Other resolutions included mobilising locals to donate resources to support these programs, raise awareness among teachers and communities about the need to allow pregnant girls to continue their education and conduct Comprehensive Sexuality Education for learners.

Reclaiming Democracy, including amplifying the call for a National Transitional Authority (NTA) and deploy more members to lead a movement demanding an NTA.

ARTUZ will also now coordinate with other actors to block the 2030 agenda and strengthen the

True Patriot to counter disinformation; unite citizens through the Zimbabwe Solidarity Movement and use it as a nucleus to rebuild the Pro-Democracy Movement; partner with organizations working on environmental protection and launch a campaign to push back against the plunder of mineral wealth and environmental destruction.

The union will actively defend the earth as the only home for humans; expose corrupt officials and organize communities to demand the reparation of looted wealth; work with rural communities to create local job opportunities through collective planning, production, and distribution of produce and discourage rural-to-urban migration by improving incomes in rural communities.

The resolutions came after observations that salaries remain low, and employers are ignoring calls for better working conditions with the small salaries subject to deductions through the fraudulent GEMS scheme, which then denies those teachers loans.

The teachers also noted that working and living conditions for teachers are extremely difficult, with uninhabitable housing, transportation problems, and a lack of access to clean water, amenities, and other essential services.

The challenges of high workloads from composite classes and high teacher-to-learner ratios continue continue to be a burden compounded by low morale causing 1,260 teachers to leave the profession each month, amid sustained freeze on new recruitment.

Transfers are being handled corruptly, and members are being denied their right to vacation leave while the employer unilaterally reduced indefinite sick leave from 90 days to 45 days.

The retirement age of 70 is considered punitive due to the unbearable working conditions and low life expectancy with the gazetted Public Service Act bill failing to provide for the right to strike, engage in collective bargaining, or receive absolute paid maternity leave.

The government has initiated conciliation in response to the union’s official complaint to the ILO. However, the union has objected to the choice of conciliators.

Learning still occurs under trees, and there is no funding or support for the politicized Heritage Based curriculum.

Over 80% of schools lack access to both reliable internet and electricity while the BEAM model has failed, and learners are dropping out, leading to an increase in child marriages, drug abuse, and child labor.

The School Feeding Program has been stopped, and the distribution of sanitary pads is limited across the country with pregnant girls are being denied access to education, abuse of girls is increasing, and gender stereotypes persist.

There are more problems bedeviling the teachers discussed at the meeting that ARTUZ wish to tackle head on. *thenewshawks*