Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday warned striking teachers to go back to work saying that one could not be a teacher when one was not teaching.
Addressing people in Buhera at the official commissioning of Marovanyati Dam, Mnangagwa said his government had resolved the problem of striking nurses. They had returned to work because they now understood that they could not be nurses if they were not treating patients.
Now it was time to deal with striking teachers.
“Ndo zvimwe chete navarairidzi, maticha. Kunzi uri murairidzi unofanira kunge uri mberi kwavanofanira kurairwa. Zvino kana wasarudza kuti uri murairidzi usina wokuraira haungavi murairidzi. Ndogumira ipapo,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s teachers have been on strike since schools re-opened on 28 September with examination classes. They said they could not return to work because they were “incapacitated” and demanded a minimum salary of US$520 or its equivalent in local currency.
The government has said it cannot pay teachers the amount they are demanding and has increased their salaries by 1 284 percent this year with the lowest teacher getting paid $18 237.
Last month, Mnangagwa said his administration would not be arm-twisted by teachers to do what they want.
“Let me assure all of you that government will never be held to ransom by the teachers,” he said. “By failing to report for duty, they think they will push us to do what they want. No, we are very principled on that. We will apply the principle that those who work will get paid. Those who are at home are not considered to be at work.”
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