No pay for amnesty teachers

Deputy minister of Public Service Cde Andrew Langa said his ministry only considered those teachers recommended to them by the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.
“Anyone who is not being paid is not a public service employee and was not recruited procedurally because the process is very clear,” he said.

“The teachers were recruited at district level and their names are forwarded to the province. Their papers are processed at the provincial level before being sent to the Ministry’s head-office. The Ministry provides us, as a commission, with the names of the employees, which we send to Treasury for processing of payments.
“It is unfortunate some people have not been paid under the amnesty, but with proper paperwork one is assured of his or her salary.”

Government, in a bid to attract thousands of teachers who left the profession at the height of economic hardships, accepted all those willing to rejoin the service.
According to teachers unions, more than 8 000 teachers rejoined the ministry through the amnesty.

Most amnesty teachers were handed 12 months contracts, with monthly reminders on their pay slips that they would be terminated.
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart confirmed the anomaly, but shifted the blame to the Ministry of Public Service, saying it was the one which “oversees” the payment of State workers.

“The issue of salaries is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Service and it is answerable,” he said.
“These are professionals who are heavily needed in the ministry and the fact that they came back in good faith is a cause for concern.”

Minister Coltart said he would take up the matter with his Public Service counterparts.
“I will take up the matter with them and find out where the problem is. Our policy from the beginning was all amnesty teachers should be paid accordingly.”

Commenting on the issue of contracts, Minister Coltart said they only applied to unqualified teachers.
“You cannot be employed on a permanent basis if you are not qualified, hence the need to always renew the contracts,” he said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe said most amnesty teachers were being “ill-treated”.
He said Minister Coltart had told them that his hands were “tied” on the issue.

“We have raised the problem with him before and he told us his hands were tied,” said Mr Majongwe.
“He said he had written to the Public Service, but nothing materialised up to now.”
Mr Majongwe said amnesty teachers who had several years of experience lost their positions and benefits after they were re-appointed as newly recruited graduates.

Teachers Union of Zimbabwe chief executive, Mr Manuel Nyawo, said the development showed that there was “discord” in the two ministries.
“This is a serious lack of professionalism,” he said. “The heartless attitude is a clear reflection that the Education Ministry is now manned by professional misfits who must be weeded out.
“This is slavery at its highest level. Such miscarriage of justice should not be allowed to continue.”

More than 10 000 teachers’ posts remain vacant in the country and are in most cases filled by temporary teachers on short-term contracts.