Universities to reopen, but staff ‘cannot afford to work’

Zimbabwe lecturers have said they are unable to report for duty in the wake of the government’s announcement that all tertiary education institutions will reopen during the first week of October for face-to-face learning.

The lecturers insist they are not officially striking, but say their salaries, paid in Zimbabwe dollars when most services and goods are charged in United States dollars, are too low to enable them to physically present themselves for work.

In a communiqué dated 23 September written to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira, the universities’ staff associations announced that their members would not report for duty with immediate effect.

Despite approaches to Professor Amon Murwira, minister of higher education, the grievances had not been addressed, they said.

‘Disinterest’ from the minister

“State University Staff Associations representatives met in the Honourable Minister’s boardroom to follow up on negotiations regarding salary review and cost of living adjustments that have been ongoing from March 2020. Surprisingly, the Honourable Minister was not willing to meet State University Staff Associations' representatives as usual.

“He preferred to summon one member to his office and indicated that government was working on conditions of service for university workers. He showed disinterest in the issues brought to him. He reiterated that state university workers must exercise patience, trust and collegiality or pack their bags,” the university representatives said in the communiqué.

“He also mentioned that university employees should patiently wait for the outcome of Apex negotiations currently underway which he intends to use as a yardstick. In light of the above developments, State Universities Staff Associations’ representatives as mandated by their members resolved that all state university employees are incapacitated to report for duty with immediate effect.”

The Apex council is an umbrella body representing all civil servants in Zimbabwe.

COVID-19 ‘under control’

Besides reopening colleges and universities, government has also reopened schools, saying it had managed the spread of COVID-19. Cabinet said Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 cases stood at 7,787, with 6,057 recoveries and 227 deaths as at 25 September. It said government’s response to COVID-19 has so far prevented a catastrophic spread of the outbreak but added that citizens are encouraged to guard against complacency and continue to abide by the protocols and measures currently being applied.

In a letter addressed to principals of tertiary education institutions and copied to Murwira, among other senior officials in the ministry, Tagwira said all tertiary institutions including universities, polytechnics, teachers’ colleges and industrial training colleges will reopen on 5 October for contact learning for the second term which ends on 11 December.

“Please be advised that all tertiary education institutions will reopen for face-to-face learning on 5 October 2020. The academic calendar will be as follows: second term from 5 October 2020 to 11 December 2020 and then third term will begin on 4 January 2021 to 26 February 2021,” he said.

“In this regard, all principals are advised to adhere to the given guidelines and the standard operating procedures as enshrined in the ministry’s roadmap dated 9 June 2020.”

No consultation

In an interview, College Lecturers' Association of Zimbabwe representative, David Dzatsunga, said the government had not consulted the association on the reopening.

“We did not have any input. We believe that going forward, there should be consultation in terms of making such important decisions. We have not gone on strike. Our members are just incapacitated to report for duty. We earn the equivalent of US$30 to US$40 per month. Most things are being charged in forex [foreign exchange]. Our members are incapacitated to go to work,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s inflation rate is pegged at 761%.

Zimbabwe National Students Union Secretary General Tapiwanashe Chiriga said with the hardships in Zimbabwe, it is difficult for both lecturers and students to complete a semester on campus.

“What is needed to complete a semester is now beyond the reach of many. We sympathise with the lecturers. We believe that they are within their rights to demand a living wage,” he said.

“As for the reopening of colleges, as long as they follow World Health Organization guidelines we are good to go. As students we want to learn; we want to complete our academic career.”