The Government has continued its crackdown on holiday extra lessons with several teachers arrested countrywide. In late March the Government announced a ban on holiday lessons, saying learners needed time to rest.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education also argued that the 2023 school calendar was never interrupted by COVID-19 hence there was no need for schools and teachers to conduct extra lessons during this April holiday.
However, teachers are reportedly conducting private lessons in odd places such as bedrooms and church premises to evade authorities.
Newsday reported that a Chivhu district schools inspector, Emmanuel Kwenda, busted teachers who were conducting extra lessons at an Apostolic Faith Church premises last Friday.
In Marondera, four teachers were recently arrested by the police for conducting holiday lessons.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said extra lessons remained banned. He said:
Those (teachers) that continue doing that will be sanctioned.
However, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said the Government should pay teachers decent salaries.
Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads secretary-general Munyaradzi Majoni said:
They (government) suppressed the formalised extra-lesson system and they promoted the clandestine system which is in full swing and thriving.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said:
The current crop of learners really needs extra lessons. Apart from being affected by COVID-19, the government is not paying teachers enough for them to do their best in school.
While the government has declared that paid extra lessons were illegal, teachers are among the lowest-paid civil servants and extra lessons will most likely not go away any time soon as the impoverished educators try to make ends meet.
In other news – Zanu-PF candidate assaulted and stabbed
Zanu-PF candidate for the Emakhandeni-Luveve National Assembly seat in the forthcoming harmonised elections Brian Samuriwo was allegedly assaulted and stabbed by two suspects who appeared in court yesterday.
This emerged when Mandlenkosi Moyo (46) of Sunninghill suburb and Nkosana Neta (32) of Nketa suburb appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Collet Ncube facing attempted murder charges.Learn More
