By Darlington Gatsi
ORGANISATIONS representing teachers have renewed their efforts to fight for the welfare of their members, which they believe should be a government priority in restoring their dignity.
Teacher unions have been at odds with the government over salaries, which they believe have been eroded by the downturn in the economy.
The Secretary General of the Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ), Tapedza Zhou, said the organisation has made the welfare of teachers its priority.
“The members themselves are supposed to be at the forefront of advocating for the change of their welfare. We will invest so much in trying to make sure that our members are empowered to stand on their feet and face the employer,” said Zhou.
Teacher welfare has once again come to the fore as schools reopen for the third and final term of the year on Tuesday.
Teacher unions have employed several strategies to pressure the government to increase their remuneration.
EUZ president Tafadzwa Munodawafa said the association has devised other strategies that support the teachers’ welfare, plugging the gap caused by poor salaries.
“A teacher was once a formidable person in the community. At the mention of the word teacher, people would sit up. We appreciate that over the years, due to other reasons this dignity has eroded and got to a point where people do not necessarily give the dignity that teachers deserve,” said Munodawafa.