Zimbabwe Independent
May 01 2009

HARARE – As they marked the annual labour day holiday, teachers said on Friday their talks with the government to avert a nationwide strike over pay had not produced an agreement.

The education ministry “was not ready to offer anything” Thursday and a second meeting to include foreign donors and representatives of the United Nations children’s agency was scheduled Monday, said labor leader Raymond Majongwe.

The two main teachers organizations, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association and the Progressive Teachers Union led by Majongwe, have called the strike for May 5, the first day of the new school term. The two unions represent 60,000 members.

Last year, inflation had shrunk teachers’ pay so much that some were unable to afford bus fare to work. That and parents’ inability to pay school fees meant that fewer than 30 percent of pupils attended class in the last term of 2008.

School attendance improved after the new coalition government, helped by donors and the United Nations, began paying teachers $100 in February.

Unions now are demanding that figure be trebled or quadrupled, saying $100 is not enough for food, housing and transportation.

Education Minister David Coltart, a former opposition leader, told a conference of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association last week there was no money to increase the allowances without help from donors.

Sifiso Ndlovu, the association’s chief executive, said the coalition government formed in February between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, must give greater priority to funding education.

He said the collapse of basic education was depriving a generation of children of the right to go to school, with long-term consequences for the nation.

Last year, in the political turmoil surrounding disputed elections, teachers were hounded from their posts by Mugabe party militants and many schools were “incapacitated,” Ndlovu said.

The association’s membership dropped by nearly 20,000 as teachers abandoned their jobs.

“There has to be immediate relief. You cannot go on in and endless dark tunnel,” Ndlovu said.

Labor groups, including the teachers’ unions, staged meetings and rallies across the country Friday.

Unemployment in Zimbabwe is estimated by the United Nations at 95 percent in industry and formal sector jobs. Many unemployed have turned to selling vegetables and other goods on the street and in open air markets.

Markets and stores were open Friday despite the national holiday.

“Money is tight. I work for myself and I can’t miss a day,” said Jake Nyabadza, selling cell phone cards in downtown Harare.

Zimbabwe’s economic crisis began with a land redistribution campaign in 2000. The often-violent campaign disrupted the agriculture-based economy of what was once the region’s breadbasket.

But Mugabe blames Western sanctions for his country’s economic woes.

According to the United Nations, 83 percent of Zimbabweans live on less than $2 a day and 7 million, more than half the population, receive food aid.

The coalition government, sworn in Feb. 13, is ensnared in disputes over power sharing that have scared off donors and possible investors.

“The government hasn’t been able to reassure the donor community” that accountability and the rule of law were being restored, said Majongwe, the teachers’ leader.

“There are those who thrive on chaos who want to see this fail,” he said. – Sapa-AP

The Chronicle
1 May 2009
By Kennedy Mavhumashava

For the first time in about four years, Mr Farai Musengi (34) a diesel plant fitter at a Bulawayo firm got what he regards as a salary on Friday last week.

“Before that I would say I was doing national service,” said Mr Musengi.

“It was a struggle and like everyone else, I really do not know how I managed to pull through, especially last year. The salary I got on Friday is still low, compared with what one of my former workmates is earning in Mozambique, but at least you can buy some bread everyday and have a drink with friends over a weekend.”

Mr Musengi said life had become miserable for him and most workers, especially last year, when the economic crisis intensified, with inflation running into billions, against stagnant salaries.

His friend, Mr Charles Kasirayi (30), a boilermaker said: “No matter how your employer raised your salary, matching inflation was impossible unless the salary was paid out in foreign currency. So for us skilled guys, you had to do something on the side to get more income. Otherwise you would not survive.”

Both Messers Musengi and Kasirayi said as Zimbabwe marks Workers’ Day today, it is crucial for employers to reward employees like him who soldiered on through the years, when taking up official employment had become not only unfashionable but also untenable.

Thousands of workers across the country will converge on stadia in Harare, Bulawayo and other towns to mark Workers’ Day.

A few weeks ago, the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) proposed joint celebrations with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) in the spirit of inclusivity, following the establishment of the inclusive Government by the country’s three main political parties in February.

However, the latter rejected the overture, meaning that both organisations would stage separate Workers’ Day celebrations.

The ZFTU will hold its celebrations at the City Sports Centre in Harare, while the ZCTU will hold its commemorations at Gwanzura Stadium in Highfield in the capital.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to be the guest of honour at the Gwanzura celebration, which is the ZCTU’s main commemoration. The Minister of Labour and Social Services, Paurina Gwanyanya will also address the gathering at Gwanzura Stadium.

ZCTU will mark Workers’ Day under the theme “It May be Dawn, Workers’ Intensify the Struggle.”
The theme seeks to capture the renewed hope that has been ignited by the formation of the power-sharing Government.

The political tensions that marked relations between political parties have markedly eased, while the economy is showing signs of improvement after the Government’s dollarisation policy, announced in January, shortly before the new administration took office.

Prices of various products and services have not only stabilised, but also fallen, giving workers some respite.

But the first signs of economic recovery started to show around October last year, when the Government allowed selected businesses to sell their products and services in foreign exchange. Goods started resurfacing on shelves, at more stable prices, but the challenge was that only a few workers were earning salaries in foreign currency, except a few whose employers had to secure special approval from the Reserve Bank.

When the then acting Minister of Finance, Senator Patrick Chinamasa, announced the major policy turn of dollarising the entire economy the improvements were further enhanced.

But while a section of the local workforce is seeing humble improvements in their lives, civil servants, who constitute the majority of formal employees in the country are still struggling.

In January, the Government started paying them US$100 in allowances each, but they are demanding more.

Teachers, for instance, have threatened to go on strike again this year if the Government fails to improve their salaries.

However, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, this week announced that the Government was working on an improved package for teachers, a development that could influence the educators to give dialogue another chance before withdrawing their labour.
Although there have been some gains in Zimbabwe regarding the welfare of workers, the global labour body, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said in a report issued last October income disparities between poorer and richer households had grown across the world.

The report said despite strong economic growth that produced millions of new jobs since the early 1990s, income inequality has grown dramatically in most regions of the world. It is feared that the inequality will further increase due to the current global financial crisis.

The report, entitled World of Work Report 2008: Income inequalities in the age of financial globalisation, notes that a major share of the cost of the financial and economic crisis will be borne by hundreds of millions of people who have not shared in the benefits of recent growth.

“This report shows conclusively that the gap between richer and poorer households widened since the 1990s,” said Mr Raymond Torres, lead author of the report.

“This reflects the impact of financial globalisation and a weaker ability of domestic policies to enhance the income position of the middle class and low-income groups. The present global financial crisis is bound to make matters worse unless long-term structural reforms are adopted.”

The ILO report further notes that as global employment rose by 30 percent between the early 1990s and 2007, the income gap between richer and poorer households widened significantly at the same time.

The obtaining global economic slowdown is affecting low-income groups disproportionately.
ZCTU president Mr Lovemore Matombo said Workers’ Day is a big day for employees in the country and elsewhere around the globe, as it gives them the platform to collectively assess their effort, in relation to the rewards they get in salaries and working conditions.

He said the general standard of living of most workers in the country has improved, compared to the situation obtaining in previous years, particularly last year. He however pointed out that salaries were still way below the poverty datum line, quoted at US$454 per month.

He castigated the business sector, which he said continues to charge unrealistic prices for some products and services, especially furniture items and clothing, among others. This, he said tends to negate any salary increases workers get.

“The standard of life of workers has improved dramatically,” he said.

“That relates to the retail sector where most basic commodities are available unlike last year when you could not find salt, sugar or any basic commodity you need. Furthermore, it was very difficult last year, for workers to access their wages from banks. Even if they did access their money, it was not enough to buy anything. As ZCTU, we note that although the US$100 paid to most workers is still little, at least US$20 can buy a few of their household requirements.”

The Associated Press
1st May 2009
By ANGUS SHAW

(AP) — HARARE, Zimbabwe – As they marked the annual labor day holiday, teachers said Friday their talks with the government to avert a nationwide strike over pay had not produced an agreement.
The education ministry “was not ready to offer anything” Thursday and a second meeting to include foreign donors and representatives of the United Nations children’s agency was scheduled Monday, said labor leader Raymond Majongwe.

The two main teachers organizations, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association and the Progressive Teachers Union led by Majongwe, have called the strike for May 5, the first day of the new school term. The two unions represent 60,000 members.

Last year, inflation had shrunk teachers’ pay so much that some were unable to afford bus fare to work. That and parents’ inability to pay school fees meant that fewer than 30 percent of pupils attended class in the last term of 2008.

School attendance improved after the new coalition government, helped by donors and the United Nations, began paying teachers $100 in February.

Unions now are demanding that figure be trebled or quadrupled, saying $100 is not enough for food, housing and transportation.

Education Minister David Coltart, a former opposition leader, told a conference of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association last week there was no money to increase the allowances without help from donors.

Sifiso Ndlovu, the association’s chief executive, said the coalition government formed in February between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, must give greater priority to funding education.

He said the collapse of basic education was depriving a generation of children of the right to go to school, with long-term consequences for the nation.

Last year, in the political turmoil surrounding disputed elections, teachers were hounded from their posts by Mugabe party militants and many schools were “incapacitated,” Ndlovu said.

The association’s membership dropped by nearly 20,000 as teachers abandoned their jobs.

“There has to be immediate relief. You cannot go on in and endless dark tunnel,” Ndlovu said.
Labor groups, including the teachers’ unions, staged meetings and rallies across the country Friday.

Zimonline
By Patricia Mpofu
Thursday 30 April 2009

HARARE – Education Minister David Coltart will meet union leaders on Thursday to try to avert a strike by teachers when schools open for the second term next week.

Coltart, who took the education portfolio after the former opposition MDC parties agreed to join President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party in a unity government last February — managed to persuade teachers to return to classrooms in March to end a strike that had been going on since last year and had brought public education to a halt.

But Coltart’s efforts to raise more cash from donors to pay teachers appear to have not borne fruit and unions that agreed to call off the strike last March on condition the government would hike the US$100 monthly allowance given to teachers and all civil servants earlier this week threatened to call a fresh strike by teachers.

Coltart told ZimOnline he will meet teacher’s representatives today, adding that several donors, whose names he did not disclose, had indicated they might consider helping the government with money for teacher’s salaries.

He said: “We will be meeting tomorrow (Thursday) with the biggest teacher’s unions in the country as the government continues to find solutions to the problems in the education sector. A number of donors and well-wishers have indicated willingness to help us.”

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), the two unions for teachers in the country, confirmed they would meet Coltart today.

“He (Coltart) is reporting back on his efforts to look for resources from international donors. He is likely to give us a feed back on his mission,” said Sifiso Ndlovu, the chief executive officer of ZIMTA.

In a separate interview, PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said: “Our members have indicated they would not be going back to school on May 5 when the second term begins. So we hope and pray the minister has found resources to meet some of our demands.”

Teachers want to be paid a minimum US$2 300 per month, money the government does not have.
Very little learning took place at public schools in 2008 as teachers spent the better part of the year striking for more pay or sitting at home because could not afford bus fare to work on their meagre salaries.

The collapse of the education sector along with that of the public health system have come to symbolise the decayed state of Zimbabwe’s key infrastructure and institutions after a decade of acute recession.

The power-sharing government has promised to revive the once brilliant economy and to restore basic services such as health and education.

But the success of the Harare administration hinges on its ability to raise financial support from rich Western countries that have however said they will not immediately help until they are convinced Mugabe is committed to genuinely share power with his former opposition foes.

Financial Gazette
30th April 2009

Harare — GOVERNMENT urgently needs about US$3,1 million to complete the marking of last year’s public examinations, Education Sports and Culture Minister David Coltart, revealed this week.
Coltart described government’s failure to produce last year’s Grade Seven, Ordinary and Advanced Levels examination results as a national tragedy.

“I am concerned about these school children as they are being prejudiced of their right. It’s a national tragedy and personal tragedy. I am working as hard as I can so that I can have this exercise completed,” he told The Financial Gazette yesterday.

The delays in releasing the results led to the enrolling of Form Four and Lower Sixth students using last year’s mid year exams.

The Herald
Paul Munyuki
30 April 2009

Harare — THE Minister Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Senator David Coltart has called for the country’s schools to establish a rugby league structure that allows for relegation and promotion to help in the development of the game.

Senator Coltart gave special mention to Kyle College after they beat giants St George’s College at the Cottco Schools Rugby festival.

The minister was at Prince Edward where he also watched the biggest schools’ rugby jamboree, which has attracted more than 57 schools, this year.

“There should be a main league that sees teams being promoted and those that would not have done so well getting demoted to the lower league so that we allow the developing teams like Kyle College getting a chance to play the big sides,” he said.

Kyle College pulled a huge surprise when they beat the much fancied Harare side in the fifth game of the day on Tuesday in a mouth — watering encounter at Prince Edward’s Jubilee field.

There were a number of good performances on the day with the Churchill Bulldogs falling 13-15 to Falcon College in a match that left a lot to be questioned about the officiating.

But Kyle College wrote the success story of the day when they beat a team that is coached by Alex Nichols — a former Sables coach.

Coltart was pleased with the way Kyle College turned on the style on their way to victory.
It was such a sweet win that it got a touch of praise from Coltart when he presented the Prince Edward School rugby kit that was sponsored by South African Airways.

The festival has been sponsored by Cottco for the past 10 years and has been getting better and bigger with each passing year.

Most of the players who have made a big name for themselves both here and in South Africa — including Tendai “Beast” Mutawarira who is now playing for the Springboks — came through this rugby festival.

Tangai Nemadire, Daniel Hondo, Willis Magasa, Denford Mutamangira, Ryan Manyika Tich Makwanya and Danny Robertson also featured at the festival.

The curtain for the weeklong rugby showcase will come down on Saturday with a huge crowd expected at Prince Edward to grace the festival.

Results
MCC 19, Hillcrest 10; Milton 20, Gateway 0; Peterhouse 36, Plumtree 3; P.E. 20, Lomagundi 9; Kyle 15, St George’s College 10; St Johns College 36, Watershed 3; Falcon 15, Churchill 13; Glen Norah 2 24, Sobukazi 3; PE II 22, Mabvuku 5; Jameson 0, Mufakose 29; Ellis Robins 5, Nhowe 5; Kutama 36, Marlborough 0; Western Surbubs 17, BMC 15; Oriel 0, Trust College 71; PE II 39, Zengeza 0.
Under-16: Eaglesvale 19, Marondera 0; Gifford 0, Mutare 12; Mutoko 14, Mazowe 5; Heritage 7, Allan Wilson 14.

VOA
By Gibbs Dube
Washington
30 April 2009

A meeting between Zimbabwean Education Minister David Coltart and officials of the country’s teacher’s unions Thursday yielded a five-point plan to address pay and other grievances, but union leaders declined to take a threatened strike by educators off the table.

Proposals from Coltart included waiving fees for teachers’ children in state-run schools. But it was unclear whether the government would be able to meet a demand for a monthly wage increase to a minimum of US$200 from just US$100 a month currently.

Secretary General Raymond Majongwe of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe told reporter Gibbs Dube of VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that another round of negotiations is to be held on Monday, one day before the scheduled start of the next school term.

SW Radio Africa
By Alex Bell
29 April 2009

An ultimatum set by the country’s leading teachers unions, for government to produce a proper salary structure for teachers, ran out on Thursday. This has set the scene for an anticipated strike next week, when schools reopen on Tuesday.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) have both threatened mass action for the start of the new semester next week, because of poor salaries. Teachers are demanding, among other things, a salary increase of up to US$2300 a month, a highly unrealistic figure for a continent where state teachers generally earn very little. The Finance Ministry has already indicated it cannot meet even the minimum demand of an increase to US$780 per month, because of a lack of government funds, and a strike as of next week appears imminent.

Shortly after the unity government was formed in February, education and finance officials stepped in to end an ongoing strike, by offering teachers and other civil servants a US$100 monthly payout, on top of their local Zimbabwe dollar wages. The government promptly introduced a voucher system to make good on its promise, with civil servants able to redeem the vouchers for goods in participating shops. The vouchers also became redeemable for cash. But with the economy completely dollarised and the local dollar being abandoned in favour of foreign currency, the US$100 payout has not been able to keep teachers and their families financially afloat in an increasingly expensive market.

Education Minister Senator David Coltart conceded on Wednesday that the teachers threatened strike action would be a serious blow to the stability of the unity government, as encouraging teachers back to work was the coalition’s first perceived success. Coltart has also previously indicated that the government is unable to meet the salary demands of teachers, effectively declaring a stalemate in the education sector. He has admitted that the current salaries are inadequate, but has said that the government’s “hands are tied.”

The Education Minister met with both teachers’ groups on Thursday in an effort to avert next week’s strike.

Leading the movement against the government is the ZANU PF friendly ZIMTA, that for years has refused to challenge the Mugabe led government on various issues, despite earning pittance wages before February. Many critics say this sudden change of heart and desire to be involved in a wage protest, could be part of ZANU PF’s game plan to try to discredit the MDC.

The MDC, as part of the unity government, now has the heavy responsibility of sorting out both the collapsed Finance and Education ministries. The Education ministry cannot meet teachers’ demands for higher salaries until there is no money in the government coffers, due to years of chronic mismanagement and corruption by ZANU PF. And understandably, foreign investors are holding back development aid to the unity government until real change is visible on the ground, change that is yet to come and change that is still being blocked by Mugabe.

VOA
By Peta Thornycroft
Harare
29 April 2009

Zimbabwe’s teachers say they will go on strike when the next semester opens next week after the inclusvie government said it has no money to increase their salaries. The teachers’ return to school after the unity government was formed February was the first success of the new administration.
The three Zimbabwe teachers unions have vowed not to return to school for the second semester next week saying the unity government has failed to fulfill its pledge to increase the monthy wage beyond $100 a month.

The largest union, the Zimbabwe Teachers Assocation, which for years would not confront the Zanu PF government of President Robert Mugabe, says there has been no “concrete response to address the issue of teachers salaries.”

Teachers quit their jobs in droves in the last two years and by the end of last year few government schools were operating. In 2008 children had little formal schooling, in a country which at one time had the best educational results and literacy in Africa.

The unity government has little income and says it can not attract donors to provide any extra cash for teachers until all conditions of the political agreement, which led to the unity government, are met.
Education minister David Coltart, a Senator from the Movement for Democratic Change party, said Wednesday that he was sympathetic to the teachers’ call as he recognizes that it is impossible to live on 100 dollars a month. He said the goverment is in a dire situation and his “hands are tied.”

Senator Coltart said he has one last meeting with the unions Thursday, and he hoped the acting finance and public service ministers would attend and explain the difficulties facing the inclusive governemnt.

He also said the return of teachers to work in February was the first sign that the inclusive government might be able to turn Zimbabwe around.

If the teachers went on strike next week, he conceded, it would be a serious blow to the stability of the government.

There are about 7,000 schools in Zimbabwe, most of them for primary education.

At full strength there should be 140,000 teachers. About 90 000 were paid at the end of January, and Coltart said he is not sure yet whether all of those who were paid were legitimate teachers.

He said a survey was not yet complete of 120 schools comparing the paperwork and documentation at his ministry with teachers who are actually at the schools.

Tendai Chikowore, president of the 45,000 strong Zimbabwe Teachers Association, said her members could not meet their basic needs and that in the absence of a pay increase, the government should waive school fees for teachers’ children.

A few teachers who did not want to be named, or the schools where they teach identified, said not all of them wanted to go on strike.

Two teachers interviewed by VOA this week said they believed the strike would not achieve anything except to undermine the Movement for Democratic Change party as they knew there was no money to pay them more until Zimbabwe’s economy revived.

Another teacher said he believed the teachers had been misled by promises of better pay and that they had gone back to work in February under false pretences.