Author/Authors :
Mashavira ، Nhamo نويسنده Greater University of Zimbabwe , , Nyanga، Takupiwa نويسنده Great Zimbabwe University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Human Resource Management, Zimbabwe Nyanga, Takupiwa , Mupani، Honest نويسنده Department of Psychology and Industrial Relations, Great Zimbabwe University Mupani, Honest , Zirima، Herbert نويسنده Great Zimbabwe University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Zimbabwe Zirima, Herbert , Chiduuro، Clifford نويسنده Department of Human Resource Management, Great Zimbabwe University Chiduuro, Clifford , Nkoma، Elliott نويسنده Great Zimbabwe University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Zimbabwe Nkoma, Elliott
Abstract :
The study sought to explore the extent to which the issue of teacher incentives muted in 2009 soon after the birth of the government of national unity capacitated teachers who had been grossly underpaid and who had undergone considerable distress under the vagaries of hyperinflation during the preceding years. It gives a close analysis to the extent to which trade unionism mainly championed by urbanites in the profession, who now happen to be generously rewarded by school governing bodies has been indirectly compromised by an otherwise commendable initiative which has become divisive. A total of seventy five teachers from a population of seven hundred in Masvingo , five education officers and three provincial trade union leaders were randomly sampled in a district that comprise of both urban and rural teachers. Purposive sampling was used to select six representatives from the three major trade union bodies ,Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), Teachers Union In Zimbabwe(TUZ) and Progressive Teachers Union in Zimbabwe (PTUZ)] housed in Masvingo urban. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were targeted at teacher, education officers and provincial trade union leaders. After taking a pilot study at Mucheke High school, selected respondents were interviewed with their views audio- taped. Data from both interviews and questionnaires were analyzed by categorizing them into emerging themes for presentation and discussion. The findings revealed that teachers in private schools, boarding schools and most of those in urban schools were heavily incentivized at the expense of their rural counterparts due to lower tuition fees charged in these schools. The study also established that these teachers were not as keen as their rural counterparts to engage in collective job action thereby weakening trade unions who used to ride on the tide of urbanites to get attention. The researchers recommend that government should consider increasing teachers base pay and leave levies for development purposes only.
