‘Fire ministry officials’

LIVINGSTONE MARUFU

 

Zimbabwe’s teachers  are demanding that the government fire top officials at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education following a surge in new infection at a number of schools.

As of Tuesday this week, at least 70 children and 20 teachers had tested positive, according to the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, who spoke at the post Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou told Business Times that heads must roll after they rushed to open schools despite professional advice from the unions.

This week several schools reported a spike in the Covid-19 cases due to lack of proper planning.

“As PTUZ we made it categorically clear without any equivocation or ambiguity that 98% of schools were not ready for opening but the education ministry officials claimed they were ready.

Just two weeks after opening Covid-19 is spreading like wildfire in schools in Zimbabwe. Lies have short legs,” Zhou said.

The union challenges Cabinet ministers to visit Nyamuka Primary (Manicaland), Kriste Mambo (Manicaland), Tongwe High (Mat South), Neshangwe High (Mashonaland East), Masase High (Midlands) and Chegato High (Midlands), among others.

Zhou said schools were running short of testing kits. In some schools, the authorities were only testing ‘A’ and ‘O’ level students

“Worse still not all ‘A’ and ‘O’ level students have been tested as schools ran out of testing kits. When we give professional advice, the Ministry officials must listen rather than make decisions from the comfort of their offices,” Zhou said.

He said it was prudent to prioritise the health and safety of teachers and pupils rather than throwing all cautions to the wind.

PTUZ has called for the testing of 140 000 teachers, more than 5m pupils and ancillary staff before gathering in schools.

 

 

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