THE Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has described as unfortunate the order by auditors for a Chiweshe school to withdraw a token of appreciation given to one of its teachers who had produced the best Grade 7 results in Mashonaland Central in the 2013 examinations.
BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
Auditors from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education district offices in Mazowe ordered the Goteka Primary School administration to pay back the amount equivalent to the price of the goat the school bought for Phizibano Matura.
Zimta chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said it was disappointing that the decision was taken at a time when there were calls for results–based management in the education sector.
“It is nonsensical for anybody to believe that a school should be punished for rewarding a teacher for a job well done,” he said, adding that regulations that restricted innovation among teachers were redundant.
He said such incidents were a result of regulations that were not responsive to contemporary socio–economic needs. A team of auditors who checked the school’s financial records discovered a US$50 shortfall.
Mazowe district education officer Christina Mudiwa said the decision was necessitated by the government’s move to do away with the incentive regime.
“As you might know, the government issued a circular that prohibited the offering of incentives to teachers,’’ she said in an earlier interview.
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Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba has described the auditors as inconsiderate adding that it was important to recognise the good work done by teachers.
“I am challenging those that decided to take away the award from the said teacher to act like educated people and behave as such,” Chinotimba said.
“What wrong did the school do to deserve such punishment to pay back a paltry US$50 used to buy a goat for its teacher?”
