Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Zimbabwe is rated among African countries with the highest literacy, a value resulting from the indefatigability of our people in the struggle against racist oppression by colonial rulers, which resulted in the freedom we now all enjoy.
However, procrastination is known to be the thief of time, and challenges impeding the employer’s efforts to increase the salaries of teachers — the people credited with the country’s high literacy rating — could *steal* their unflinching determination in providing quality education and skills for better economic and social development, leading to a continuing brave new future for our motherland.
Indeed, we recognise the huge amount of work that the Second Republic has been doing over the past seven years to improve the salaries and conditions of service for teachers, and other civil servants.
The Government, in some cases working with its partners, is building modern houses for educators at many schools nationwide. In addition, teachers, like all other eligible civil servants, can import vehicles for private use duty-free.
However, they have appealed to the employer to intensify its drive to improve their salaries and conditions of service.
This communicologist urges authorities to respond positively to the call so that teachers, the very people responsible for inculcating quality education and skills to their charges for the ultimate economic and social advancement of our country, in compliance with the dictum: Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo/Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, (A country is built by its own people), don’t get discouraged.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has a mandate to provide quality education while issues of conditions of service fall under other Government arms,” a spokesman said when contacted for comment two days ago.
No immediate comment on the reported grievances of teachers and their labour unions over salaries could be obtained from the Apex Council, which is the highest representation body for civil servants in Zimbabwe.
The primary role of the council is to protect the interests of civil servants while also contributing to the development of the country. For instance, the council negotiates with the Government on behalf of civil servants to improve salaries, benefits, and working conditions.
No immediate comment could also be obtained from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development on a report that the United Nations had asked Zimbabwe to provide land ownership titles to women as the people mainly responsible for producing food and other agricultural products in the communal lands while most men are away at work in urban centres, neighbouring countries, or in the diaspora further abroad.
Those born and raised in the countryside, like this writer, know that mothers organise parties for the cultivation of crops, brewing beer, and providing food for the parties engaged in the agricultural process.
Therefore, making Zimbabwe’s womenfolk proud of owning land will no doubt incentivise them to make that asset a provider of food and income for their families while also feeding urban communities working in industries to generate incomes for both national development and supplementary support for families and relatives away in the countryside.
