Maravi

SESTUZ defends Senanga teachers

SESTUZ defends Senanga teachers
By Lambwe Kachali and Namakau Nalumango
Wednesday October 17, 2007 [04:00]

Senanga teachers should not be punished for administrative inefficiencies inherent in the public service, Secondary School Teachers’ Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) deputy general secretary Emmanuel Zulu has said. And Zulu has demanded that the teachers’ half salaries that government has forfeited should be restored in full.

Reacting to government’s decision to withhold half salaries of the 86 Senanga teachers who were suspended in February this year, Zulu said the government’s decision had no backing of the disciplinary team.

“As a union, we are wondering about the basis for this decision as it is unprecedented and has no backing of the disciplinary code and procedures for handling offences in the public service,” Zulu said.

Zulu said the disciplinary regulations required that such cases be dealt with within 75 days.

“But in this matter, the cases were disposed of by the Teaching Service Commission after eight months,” he said.

He also reminded government that teachers were forced to go on strike after the employers (government) failed to listen to their genuine grievances for more than six months.

“In fact teachers were vindicated recently when the rural hardship allowances was restored, thereby proving that they were unjustly treated,” Zulu said.

Zulu demanded that the government should rescind its decision and pay teachers’ salaries in full.

“In this light SESTUZ strongly urges government to deal with the causes of industrial unrest and not the symptoms. We also demand that the teachers’ half salaries be restored to them in full,” said Zulu.

Meanwhile, Senanga central member of parliament Clement Sinyinda has appealed to the government to rescind the decision to withhold the half salaries of the 86 Senanga teachers.

Sinyinda charged that education minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa was being antagonistic. He noted that Prof Lungwangwa should have remembered that there were irregularities in the way the teachers were suspended.

"In other words, proper procedure was not followed. He knows that there was no circular to supercede the 1994 circular by the cabinet that designated Senanga as a rural district," he said.”

He should have remembered that Senanga, being a rural district is short of teachers and I am aware that his District Education Board Secretary, Provincial Education Officer (PEO) and Permanent Secretary had recommended the dismissal of all these teachers when Senanga is short of teachers," he said.

Sinyinda also charged that during the time the teachers were on suspension, Senanga children were deprived of the much-needed education. He has also appealed to President Levy Mwanawasa to intervene in the matter.

Labels: SESTUZ, TEACHERS

posted by MrK @ 3:19 AM