TEACHERS have urged the government to reintegrate Zimbabwean educators returning from South Africa into the country’s education system following their repatriation amid a wave of xenophobic attacks. Over 100,000 Zimbabweans have returned home after fleeing anti-immigrant violence in South Africa, with many abandoning their jobs and businesses. The returnees now face the challenge of rebuilding their lives in Zimbabwe after losing their sources of income.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) Secretary General Tapedza Zhou appealed to the government to urgently establish a policy framework to facilitate the registration and re-employment of teachers forced to return home. “The Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) respectfully writes to appeal to the Government of Zimbabwe, through your esteemed institution, to urgently develop and implement a coordinated policy framework for the integration, registration and re-employment of Zimbabwean teachers returning from the Republic of South Africa as a result of the ongoing xenophobic attacks and hostile conditions faced by foreign nationals. “The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has already demonstrated commendable leadership by putting in place measures to support Zimbabwean students returning from South Africa due to xenophobic violence.
“While this initiative is highly appreciated, we respectfully submit that teacher returnees are equally victims of the same unfortunate circumstances and should not be left behind,” Zhou said. Earlier this month, the government announced measures to integrate Zimbabwean pupils returning from South Africa into the local education system to minimise disruptions to their learning. Zhou argued that a similar approach should be adopted for teachers, pointing to a precedent set during Zimbabwe’s economic crisis nearly two decades ago.
“Around 2009, during Zimbabwe’s economic challenges, the government introduced an amnesty that facilitated the reintegration of many teachers who had left the country for South Africa and other neighbouring states. “That intervention helped restore valuable human capital to the education sector and demonstrated the Government’s commitment to supporting its citizens during difficult periods,” he said. He said the current situation presented a similar opportunity for the country to …
Summary from source