"Teachers Not Ready For January Schools Opening"
Teachers’ unions have raised concerns about the readiness of educators to offer their services when schools reopen on January 14 for the first term, citing incapacitation and a lack of resources at their workstations.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is set to introduce the Heritage-Based Curriculum, replacing the Competence-Based Curriculum. However, teachers are struggling with financial challenges.
An average teacher currently earns around US$300, with part of their salary paid in Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency.
For years, teachers have been advocating for the restoration of their pre-October 2018 salaries, which were at least US$540.
In an interview with NewsDay, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said that teachers were not prepared for the opening of schools. Said Zhou:
Teachers are ill-prepared for the opening of schools in 2025. Fundamentally, the year 2024 was one of the most precipitous years in labour relations with the government. They failed to restore the purchasing power parity of US$540 basic salary.
Zhou said the government failed to provide various allowances for heads of departments, A-Level, large classes, composite classes, Early Childhood Development, class teachers, and other responsibilities.
Obert Masaraure, president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, shared similar concerns.
He claimed that over 82% of teachers in rural areas are facing unfavourable working conditions, including lack of water, decent accommodation, and poor infrastructure in schools. Said Masaraure:
The Zimbabwe education sector has been suffering from aggressive socio-economic turmoil for over 20 years, with visible rot in all facets of the sector. Teacher remuneration by the State still remains a sticking point.
To compound an already critical situation, teachers are having their civic and political rights infringed by the ruling party, with most teaching stations in rural outposts a nightmare for teachers due to interference by political parties, especially the ruling party.
In Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North and South, Masvingo and Midlands provinces, over 82% of teachers based in rural outposts are complaining about unfavourable working conditions, such as unavailability of water, decent accommodation and bad infrastructure in schools.
The Heritage-Based Curriculum is a new educational framework set be come into force this year, replaces the previous Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA) and aims to better prepare students for future challenges by focusing on practical skills and critical thinking
Under the Heritage-Based Curriculum, School-Based Projects (SBPs) replace CALAs and provide a hands-on approach to learning and assessment. Students will engage in practical projects that contribute to their overall assessment.
For Ordinary Level (O-Level) students, five compulsory subjects are Mathematics, English Language, Indigenous Language and Literature, Combined Science, and Heritage Studies.
Advanced Level (A-Level) students have a minimum requirement of three subjects and can choose additional subjects.
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