Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou told Newsday that youth and other political party functionaries have been moving around schools intimidating teachers. He said:
Youths and other political party functionaries are also visiting schools and demanding names of teachers absent from schools. We remind such rogue elements that schools are institutions of teaching and learning.
At any rate, no amount of threats or brutality will end the industrial action, but the sober engagement of union leaders by the government.
We also remind school heads that they have signed the Official Secrecy Act and are not allowed to release any information to anyone on the participation of teachers in the industrial action except Ministry of Education officials.
Teachers’ unions on Thursday resolved to embark on a nationwide strike to force the government to pay them in US dollars or alternatively to increase their salaries. The strike started on Monday (yesterday).