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Senior Reporter 

Teachers who fail to report for duty will not be paid and will face further disciplinary action, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Tumisang Thabela, said yesterday, citing the Government policy that no work means no pay.

Calling for the appropriate disciplinary action against staff who were absent without permission, Mrs Thabela said in a circular to provincial education directors, district schools’ inspectors and primary and secondary schools’ heads that no one was paid for not working.

Some teachers did not report for duty when schools opened on Monday, and others reported at their work stations but declined to do any work. 

“It has come to the attention of the Permanent Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education that some officials did not report for duty when schools opened on February 7, 2022.

“This unwarranted conduct deprived learners of their right to education as enshrined in Section 75 and 81 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Mrs Thabela directed heads of offices to take urgent disciplinary action against any who obstructed the opening of schools and deprived learners of their constitutional right. 

“Where necessary, heads of offices should charge and suspend such members at the school, district, provincial or national level and ensure that all due processes are followed as per Public Service Regulations 2000 as amended,” Mrs Thabela said.

Provincial education directors were directed to provide a daily update on progress in handling the disciplinary cases in their provinces. Officials were reminded that the principle of “no work, no pay” must apply where members failed to render their services.

Some teacher unions’ called for industrial action when schools opened citing incapacitation and reiterated their calls for US dollar-denominated salaries.

Government has ruled out payment of US dollar salaries saying it was unsustainable and would end the growth trajectory seen in the economy recently.