Maravi

ZNUT urges DEBSs to stop issuing threats against teachers in Eastern Province

ZNUT urges DEBSs to stop issuing threats against teachers in Eastern Province
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Saturday, April 04, 2009 3:53:23 PM

ZNUT in Eastern Province has urged District Education Board Secretaries (DEBSs) to stop issuing threats against teachers who have been on go slow since February, demanding payment of their rural hardship allowances.

Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) provincial chairperson Charles Manda said threats would not solve the problems being faced by teachers in the province.

“We would like to appeal to management that threats will not solve the problem. Let them not use the method of threatening like calling for names of teachers that those who are on sit in or strike as they call it. Threats will not solve any problem but dialogue can help in finding a solution to the issue at hand,” Manda said.

He said teachers had been patient enough over the rural hardship allowances.

“Let those in management (DEBS) tell the people what they have done concerning the problem which is there than threatening the teachers because if they are threatening them, it shows they have not done anything. We have received reports that there are some DEBS that have issued circulars to say they should submit names of teachers who are on strike. We are challenging them to tell us what they have done as a district that teachers will appreciate…that ‘no they have done this’ so what we are doing is not helpful to the government other than threatening them,” said Manda.

And provincial ZNUT vice secretary Simon Banda said teachers in areas that did not receive rural hardship allowances last month end had continued with their protest.

“The sit in has continued from the month end of February up to now except for Lundazi where the teachers called off the sit in and have given government up to the month end of April but for these other areas, the problem still stands. Teachers were not paid their rural hardship and from what we have tried to find out on the ground, teachers are not working in districts like Chadiza, Chipata, Katete and Chama…they continued with their sit in waiting to be paid,” he said.

Banda further commended the Mambwe district education office for ensuring that issues of rural hardship allowances were addressed.

Labels: DISTRICT EDUCATION BOARD SECRETARIES, STRIKE, ZNUT

posted by MrK @ 2:53 PM