“We cannot afford expensive dresses and suits while our stomachs are empty” Teachers speak out.

Teachers have spoken out and are advising that they will not hesitate to wear informal clothes due to incapacitation to buy formal Wear. In a statement issued by the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, teachers have advised that they will wear anything when reporting for duty. Part of the statement read,”We have therefore taken a position to say when reporting for duty put on anything that you can afford except nudity”. Teachers lamented the fact that unlike other members of the civil service they are not getting a dressing allowance.This has made it difficult for them to adhere to the prescribed dress code which is quite expensive and does not tally with their low salaries.

The teachers said they had made an earlier communication to the Public service commission to no avail. Civil servants are the most hard hit by the current econkic meltdown. It is difficult to buy things that are pegged in USD when they are earning in local currency. They have since threatened to strike and as evidenced by the recent low pass rate at both O and A level sittings, the education sector really needs to have its concerns addressed. Teachers are excepted to wear decent,neat and well tailored suits. Like the rest of the civil service they are battling to buy such. Most people applauded the teachers for taking such a stance and for standing their ground.