Harare (New Ziana) – Teachers who do not report for duty by next Tuesday will be deemed to have resigned from their jobs, the Public Service Commission said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Cabinet called for ‘stern’ measures against absent teachers who continue to absent themselves from work despite Government’s continuous improvement of their conditions of service.

In a statement, the PSC said the decision was reached because some teachers continue to absent themselves from work, with some reporting for duty but not working.

“Government notes with concern that, in spite of the significant steps it has taken to improve conditions of service, working with the Apex Council, some teachers continue to absent themselves from work, with some reporting for duty but not working,” it said.

“This has had the effect of depriving learners of their inalienable right to education as well as prejudicing parents of their significant investment in their children’s education,” said the commission.

PSC added : “This behaviour on the part of some teachers is all the more distressing in view of the fact that it is coming at a time when learners have already lost more than a month of learning in 2022 alone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and were therefore looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with their studies.”

The commission said such behaviour cannot be tolerated as it will have a lasting, negative impact on an entire generation.

“It is in this context that Government is taking the following measures: All teachers, deputy heads and heads of schools who do not report for duty by Tuesday 22 February 2022 will be deemed to have resigned from the service;

“Those reporting for duty but not teaching will also be deemed to have resigned,” it said.

The PSC urged unemployed trained teachers, university and college graduates in the sciences, engineering, technical, vocational areas and other disciplines who are interested in joining the profession to register at the nearest district education offices as the recruitment process begins soon after February 22.

“Those deemed to have resigned shall not be eligible for this recruitment,” it said.

The commission said Government has taken the position that it will now work with those who demonstrate their commitment by performing their duties at all times to serve the nation.

As part of non-monetary benefits, government said teachers would benefit from a school fees exemption to cover three children per family.

Government also announced plans to construct institutional accommodation for teachers at or around the school premises. The total would be 34 000 housing units over a five year period.

New Ziana