NAMIBIA: Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance (MDC-A) Namibia has vowed to stand in solidarity with Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) on their National protest against the incapacitation of teachers to be held on March 2022.
The protest will run under the theme #SaveOurEducationZW on the day which all classes will resume.
In a statement, Rundu Branch MDC-A Namibia Spokesperson, Robson Ruhanya hailed ARTUZ leadership for unwavering courage to challenge the ruling party ZANU PF government.
“We salute ARTUZ leadership for declaring incapacitation as it does not make sense for our teachers to continue working for looters in the ZANU PF government.
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“We are in solidarity with ARTUZ since their push for #safeschools campaign alongside with #SaveOurEducationZW is a legitimate and constitutional struggle offering solidarity”, he said.
Currently, teachers are earning ZWL$18 000 per month which less than US$200 and they are demanding US$520 salary.
Considering the economic situation in the country, teachers salary is not sufficient to cover basic commodities and services.
Ruhanya described teachers remuneration as ‘unsalted peanuts’ that cannot afford to assist teachers to send their children to school and even accessing quality health.
“Our underpaid teachers dont deserve these ‘unsalted peanuts’ they are getting from this insensitive and corrupt government which is not shaken by the shoddy livelihoods displayed by our diligent workers in the education sector”.
“What mesmerises and hypnotices MDC- A Namibia is that when our defenceless and poverty-stricken teachers fall victim to the pandemic, their peanuts cannot afford a one day bed in the elite Covid-19 hospitals”, said Ruhanya.
He also blamed the government for unceremoniously announced the re-opening of schools without addressing the incapacitation of teachers.
Examination classes commenced on March 15 while others will open on March 22 for first term.
MDC-A is an opposition led party in which a number of anti-state unions and organisations are affiliated to including ARTUZ.
The party is led by Nelson Chamisa who replaced the founder Morgan Tsvangirai in died in 2018.Due to differences in political ideologies, a number of its activists have been arrested for practising democratic constitutional rights by the state.
