Zimpapers Logo

Nqobile Tshili/Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporters
GOVERNMENT has urged civil servants to resume work today as their security is guaranteed while parents should let their children go to school and cover up for lost time following protests that rocked the country last week.

Some civil servants failed to report for duty owing to violent protests which resulted in the death of some people and destruction of property.

Parents responded by withdrawing their children from schools.

In an interview yesterday, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said Government has put in place measures to ensure its employees can safely return to work.

She said it is unfortunate that some civil servants were attacked.

The Minister said she would liaise with other Government departments to ensure the safety of workers is prioritised.

Dr Nzenza said Government was committed to improving civil servants conditions of service.

“Regarding the cushioning allowances, we have given 22,7 percent beginning from the lowest paid worker on a sliding scale to deputy director level. That is what the President has offered. But from April 1, 2019 we are going to be reviewing the civil servants salaries at the same time we are continuing with the National Joint Negotiating Council that is ongoing and I hope we will reach an understanding,” she said.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima said parents have nothing to worry about as safety of all pupils in schools is guaranteed.

Government is working on various ways to improve the welfare and working conditions of its workers.

It is proposing to give them other non-monetary benefits which include land for housing, residential mortgage schemes, vehicle loans and medical care.

Government also wants a public service pension scheme based on funded and defined benefit modality that it guarantees set up.

This should protect contributors and generate input to align the current legislation that guides labour relations in the public sector to the Constitution.

Government is also using the negotiations to solicit input on the amendment of the Public Service Act, the establishment of the Public Service Collective Bargaining Council and the creation of the Tripartite Negotiating Forum to facilitate dialogue among the social partners.

Meanwhile, Government has urged parents to let their children go to school today and urged teachers to cover up for lost time following protests that rocked the country last week.

Education officials said most pupils did not turn up for lessons despite a Government directive that lessons must continue.

Schools abruptly abandoned lessons last Monday as parents withdrew their children fearing for their safety.

In an interview last week, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Tumisang Thabela, said teachers must device ways of making up for lost time. “They know that if the situation has been like this they have to give extra hours to make sure that they recover. It’s contextual. Its context will determine how they are doing it in terms of extra hours during the day or using the weekend or whichever means. We don’t dictate because we don’t know the impact of whatever has happened but our system has its own way of recovering,” said Mrs Thabela.

She said her Ministry had not received any reports of teachers who were beaten up by hooligans last Monday as claimed by social media reports.

Acting Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Kaira said last Friday the turnout at schools was very low and urged parents to ensure that their children go to school today.

“In most schools headmasters and teachers turned up but pupils did not turn up. We are encouraging parents to bring their children to school on Monday (today). Few of our schools were functional on Friday and children were missing out a lot. When children miss out for an hour that’s quite a lot, what of a whole week?” asked Mrs Kaira.

She refuted allegations that there were some teachers who were assaulted at schools particularly in Tshabalala suburb.

Mrs Kaira said some teachers were threatened by hooligans to abandon work and go home.

She said the hooligans targeted a few schools but nothing was looted in all schools.

“At Emganwini Secondary School, 11 window panes were destroyed. At Amaswazi in Pumula the pre-cast wall (durawall) was destroyed. At Luveve High School, the hooligans got to the gate and threatened to get into the school to shut it down. I have also heard that there was some damage at Babambeni Primary School in Pumula North but I haven’t been there to assess the damage,” said Mrs Kaira.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima last week said the safety of all learners in schools is guaranteed.

He said school heads must also make sure that the loss of time due to the disturbances is compensated without any deviation from the learners’ 2019 academic calendar as most schools, including boarding schools and those in rural areas, continued teaching during the period. — @AuxiliaK — @nqotshili