When the government announced that schools were going to reopen teachers were up in arms citing incapacitation. A lot of teachers have not been reporting for duty for this reason essentially meaning that they are on strike. That has not been a big deal so far as only completing classes are going to school due to the phased reopening schedule but as more and more classes resume, schools are going to eventually find themselves understaffed.
Bulawayo parents think they have an idea that could help: they are offering to team up and augment their student’s teachers so that they can end their strike. Parents from low-density suburbs are offering as much as $20 USD per student in order to boost teachers’ earnings. The money would go towards the upkeep of the teacher involved with their child.
The parents are also not being spared in this situation because after paying school fees, they now have to part ways with some more money as most of them are not opting to get their children private tutors. This comes heavy on parents some of whom have been retrenched or had their salaries cut because of the impact of Covid-19,
Report in the NewZimbabwean
Teachers have been demanding a salary of around $500 USD and such an arrangement might just allow them to get to that mark. However, not all parents can afford this as most parents are struggling due to the current Covid-19 pandemic that has taken an economic toll on the country. Most parents will struggle to pay fees and will most certainly not be able to afford paying extra just so the strike can end.
