Coltart appeals for teachers’ patriotism

Zimbabwe Times
By Our Correspondent
18 March 2009

HARARE – Education, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Senator David Coltart says government will not be able to fulfil growing demands by teachers who are demanding to be paid salaries of up to $US1 500.

Coltart pleaded with teachers to “call on their sense of patriotism” and accept that government was broke.

Addressing journalists Wednesday afternoon, Coltart said his ministry had limited capacity to pay teachers viable salaries, pointing out that teachers were employees of the Public Service Commission.
“Teachers are employed by the public service commission not by the ministry of education,” he said.
“To that extent this is beyond our control. We have been in discussions with the Ministry of Finance which ultimately is the source of funding for all civil servants.”

Incidentally, Finance Minister Tendai Biti allocated the Education Ministry the lion’s share of the budget he announced in Parliament on Wednesday. The ministry was allocated over US$177 million.
“Our economy is in a state of near collapse,” said Coltart.

“Our treasury coffers are almost bare. Our entreaties to the donor community have not to date secured the funding that we have asked for although we have been dealt with sympathetically. Money has not flowed into treasury coffers yet.

“Whilst we are very sympathetic towards the legitimate concerns of teachers and civil servants right across the board, unfortunately there is a limit to what we can do in the circumstances. My hope is that monies will be forthcoming shortly.”

Coltart, who was appointed minister in February, refused to commit his ministry to making any promises to the teachers.

“As the responsible person, I cannot today make any promises and all that I can do is to call on the sense of patriotism of our teachers and the trade union movements to recognize that we are acting (sincerely).

“But there is a limit to what we can do. Unfortunately we can’t wave a magic wand.”

Like all civil servants, Zimbabwean teachers are earning allowances of up to US$100.

Government met teachers’ representative groups last month and agreed to negotiate teachers’ salaries this month.

Progressive Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said his organization was not willing to continue accepting excuses being proffered by government.

“We do not accept the view that government has no money,” he said.

“All sources of generating revenue by government are still functional. We cannot continue to wait for so called donors to one day think of paying the teachers. What shall we be eating?”

Zhou said teachers affiliated to his organization were already on a “go slow” and would declare a full blown strike if government fails to meet their demands by mid next month when teachers will be paid their April salaries.

Meanwhile, Coltart has appointed a 14 member think-tank of experienced education officials to work as a board to be known as the National Education Advisory Board.

The board, whose activities are being funded by the European Union, will conduct an immediate assessment of the education sector and make recommendations on how to restore credibility in the country’s faltering education system.

Former secretary for education, Dr Isaiah Sibanda will chair the board while former education minister, Fay Chung will be the treasurer.

Former Movement for Democratic Change legislator Trudy Stevenson, who was a teacher for 30 years, will be the board secretary.