Spare a thought for other civil servants



EDITOR — It is a fact that teachers are not the only civil servants in this country.

It is also a fact that those of us who are not teachers are parents to children who are going to school.

The recent announcement by Education Minister David Coltart that teachers should be paid incentives is not unilateral as he sits in Cabinet, meaning it is agreed to by Government.

This is out of fear of a mass exodus by teachers.

Is it being suggested that some of us who are not teachers should leave the civil service and seek jobs elsewhere or engage in corrupt activities so that we can supplement our salaries and afford to send our children to school?

On the other hand, it is evident from the experience of the past year that teachers and parents will never reach a consensus on incentives. The system is marred by greed.

Our children spent the whole year without attending lessons.

The schools have threatened to chase them away this term unless they pay the outstanding incentives in addition to this term’s fees and incentives.

For my two children at Mufakose 2 High, I am required to pay US$120 in dues and another US$60 which includes a US$40 incentive plus US$20 fees.

My salary is only US$156,67 per month and I have a deficit of US$23.33.

I have no other source of income and my wife is unemployed.

This now means I have to borrow the outstanding amount, though I am not considered creditworthy because I have been surviving on soft loans for the past eight months and have repaid none.

Electricity, water and other bills will continue ballooning since they have been outstanding for the past eight months.

I wonder what will happen if service providers go ahead with threats to cut supplies over unpaid bills, or worse still take legal action.

Our properties will be sold and we have a reason to be afraid.

Is this the price we have to pay for our loyalty to the Government?

We did not run away when things were very tough and we remained hopeful but it seems we have run the distance and cannot take it anymore.

Why are we always asked to bear with the Government when something seems not to be happening at all?

Government should spare a thought for our children.

Dejected Civil Servant.

Budiriro.