NAQEZ plots countrywide teacher work stopage
By Tony Nkhoma
THE National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has warned that if government fails to address concerns by 40,000 teachers over salary disparities, a national wide strike is eminent
Executive director Dr Aaron Chansa said a work stoppage was the only action which would force government to pay attention to the plight of over 40,000 teachers across the country.
Dr Chansa said his organisation had proposed a nationwide work stoppage to pressure government to address disparities in salary scales for teachers according to their professional qualifications.
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“We have no option left but to call for a nationwide strike over the Government’s unfulfilled teacher upgrades promises. In the last three years, the Republican President [Hakainde Hichilema], the minister of finance and the minister of education have made repeated public assurances and pronouncements to the effect that over 40,000 teachers would be moved into appropriate salary scale brackets according to their professional qualifications,” he said.
Dr Chansa said in a statement yesterday government’s betrayal had far-reaching consequences as it had left over 40,000 teachers across the country feeling disheartened, disrespected and demoralised.
He said the unfulfilled promises by government were not only a slap in the faces of the teachers but a serious threat to quality delivery of education in Zambia.
“In the week that ended yesterday, President Hakainde Hichilema reminded the nation by saying, ‘education is number one, without education, the country is dead’. We fully agree with this profound truth, but if education is indeed the lifeline of the nation, then its heartbeat – the teacher – must not be suffocated by injustice and neglect,” Dr Chansa said.
He said when teachers were denied their correct dues, learners suffered and the entire nation would be pushed backward.
Dr Chansa regretted the inertia by government not to address the concern, saying all effort made to attract the New Dawn’s attention over the plight of a teachers had yielded nothing.
“NAQEZ, like any other teacher union in the country and other stakeholders, has made every effort to engage the government through dialogue, but these efforts have been met with silence and inaction. It is now evident that the only firm, coordinated industrial action can compel the government to act,” he warned.
Dr Chansa called on teachers countrywide to begin mobilising their members in accordance with Sections 76,77 and 78 of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act.
He said the time for patience had expired and it was the time for action.
Teachers had been stretched to their breaking point.
“They have been used, ignored and denied justice for far too long. Their sacrifices are the backbone of Zambia’s development. They deserve more than empty promises,” Dr Chansa said.
He said while NAQEZ understood the implications of a national wide strike, the action was the only inevitable and necessary mode of pressure, if justice was to be delivered to the teachers.
