Teachers’ go-slow in Choma enters day three

The go-slow by unionized teachers in Choma,which has now entered day three, has spread to rural schools crippling learning activities.

A check by ZANIS at some rural schools revealed that unionized teachers have joined the go-slow, leaving classes unattended to.
All the 19 teachers at Siamambo basic school in chief Singani’s area were found not teaching with most of them sun basking.

Acting Head Teacher, Catherine Hamasowe told ZANIS, the unionized teachers downed chalk on Monday this week after attending a union meeting in Choma.

She said all efforts to persuade the teachers to return to work have proved fruitless as the staff have maintained that they will only do so after government meets their conditions.

A grade nine pupil at the school, Nchimunya Banda, expressed worry that pupils in examination classes may perform badly in this year’s final exams if the go-slow is prolonged.

A visit to Saint Marks high school in chief Mapanza area revealed a similar situation and pupils were just roaming the school premises due to the go-slow.

Last Friday, members of the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT), Secondary Schools Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) and the Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) held a meeting at Adastra basic school at which they unanimously resolved to be on a go-slow to pressure government to meet their demands.

In a three point resolution, the teachers are demanding that ongoing negotiations for improved salaries and conditions of service be over by May 31, 2009. They are demanding a salary increment of 25 percent and have totally rejected the 11 percent offered by government.

They are also demanding an increase in housing allowances and that the payment of rural/remote hardship allowance arrears be done in full.

The teachers also want government to pay them fixed band housing allowance arrears in full and not in phases.

ENDS/CM/PK/ZANIS