Harare ,(New Ziana) –The strike by University of Zimbabwe (UZ) lecturers has severely disrupted learning at the institution of higher learning and students face uncertainty over their academic progress.
Initially the lecturers said they were downing tools on April 24 and 25 to protest over low wages, which have seen them earning as little as US$230 per month.
The strike has however become indefinite as the lecturers across faculties have stopped teaching, leaving students in a quandary amid defeaning silence from the university authorities on the way forward.
Tensions appear to have grown after three leaders of the lecturers, Professors Obvious Vengeyi, Boncase Mwakorera, and Desmond Ndedzu were arrested on April 16 for public disorder.
They were detained overnight at the Harare Central Police Station and made to pay $15 admission of guilty fine each to secure their release.
Students from various departments who spoke to New Ziana voiced frustration over the disruption to their academic progress.
“I have missed over two weeks of Commercial Law lectures now, and with exams coming up soon, we are left in the dark,” said a third-year Law student who preferred anonymity.
“We support our lecturers, but we need a plan from the university,” she added.
Final year Accounting student from the Faculty of Business weighed in, saying; “Group projects and coursework are at a standstill.
It is incredibly stressful, especially for those of us preparing for internships.” A second-year Sociology student, who also refused to be identified for fear of reprisals, noted that momentum gained after last semester delays has been lost.
“It’s frustrating to be back in limbo,” he said Meanwhile, the Student Representative Council (SRC) has called for calm, stating that talks with stakeholders are ongoing.
“We are committed to ensuring that lectures resume as soon as possible,” it said in a statement. Meanwhile, the strike may soon end following assurances by Presidential spokesperson George Charamba that the government is addressing their grievances.
Onn 25 April, Charamba acknowledged that the lecturers had very genuine grievances, vowing to up their case up.
In an update on Monday, Charmba said President Emmerson Mnangagwa had “long approved” a proposal to resolve the crisis at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), but blamed unnamed officials for delaying its implementation.
Posting on social media platform X under his handle Jamwanda, Charamba said: “YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD!!! Government is addressing the welfare of University Lecturers. Just as well they raised the matter publicly.
It turns out the Chancellor, Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, had long approved recommendations which should have put this matter well behind us.
Inertia gathered somewhere and OPC will cause movement. Thank you Comrades for acting responsibly!” The development comes after the Association of University Teachers (AUT) has threatened to expand industrial action to all 14 state universities within the next 10 days unless the UZ and the government address their concerns over inadequate wages.
The AUT is demanding that the government and UZ restore lecturers’ salaries to their levels before October 2018, when a junior lecturer earned US$2 250, before the pay was drastically reduced to US$230.
New Ziana
