The Sunday News
Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Midlands Correspondent
The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development said it wants to incorporate college and polytechnic lecturers into the Public Service Commission.
This comes after various appeals from College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe (COLAZ) that Government pays them salaries and set working conditions that are in line with their university counterparts.
In an interview, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira said it’s high time lecturers from universities and colleges are treated the same.
“We want to incorporate lecturers from colleges and polytechnics into public service commission. Their counterparts from universities are getting paid much more that what college lecturers are getting yet they have the same qualifications,” he said.
Minister Murwira said the disparity between college and university lecturers is way too much.
“While I acknowledge that the salaries should not necessarily be equal, the current disparity is just way too much.
“We believe that if they are well paid, they will execute their duties to full capacity because we understand that some college lecturers tend to abandon classes to look for alternative sources of income,” he said.
COLAZ President Mr David Dzatsunga commended the Government for the move, saying it will go a long way in cushioning college lecturers under the harsh economic conditions.
He said they are happy that the Government heard their pleas.
“This is a great move by Government, finally our pleas have been heard. We hope that the move will go a long way in capacitating college lecturers who are currently incapacitated,” he said.
Mr Dzatsunga said as an Association, they hope the incorporation will not take time to materialise.
“We hope the incorporation process will not take much time because we really can’t wait to be under PSC,” he said.
@sukusinini
