Our Work

Cyclone IDAI Donations

Working in unison, ZIMTA and PTUZ combined intervention efforts to support vulnerable teachers and learners that were affected by Cyclone IDAI in 2019. Education International (E.I) provided the support during the response intervention.

During the period, teachers and pupils received counselling for mishap. With interventions from E.I teachers received medication, school based counselling and study lambs for exam classes. ZIMTA and PTUZ embarked on school feeding programmes that sought to make up for the destroyed food reserves.

As part of the long term assistance methods, the unions provided teacher education on disaster management and climate change as well as community awareness raising programmes on climate change and citizens’ rights.

Stop Child Labour Campaigns

Since 2015, ZIMTA in partnership with another union chose to work in Mashonaland Central province to update the child labour social dialogue that they had developed in Chipinge (Manicaland). The prevalence of child labour resulted from various social, cultural, religious and economic activities in the area. Learners and other children were involved in gold panning, agricultural domestic work across border activities and vending. After its intervention, the project was a huge success due to the union’s awareness activities, the community got active and involved in campaigns against child labour. A significant number of employers on child labour decreased. Materials, flyers and booklets on child labour materials were disseminated.

Professional Development and Capacity Building

Training, seminars and professional development make up the DNA of the union’s work. Educators at all levels are afforded opportunities to advance their learning opportunities and upskill themselves professionally. Unique programmes are designed from time to time to enable members in different regions to partake in.

At any given moment there are different themes for various categories of members such as the young teachers’ programmes, women programmes, leadership training programmes, professional and capacity building seminars for various structures and generally annual conferences that enable for wider participation of all. Regional programmes are organised on a need and theme basis.

Teacher Welfare Issues

In a move towards eradicating demotivation and near destitute statuses for struggling educators, ZIMTA has established several programmes that aim to alleviate housing and accommodation issues. Several of the programmes are housed under the ZIMTA provincial partnership where educators are assisted to access housing stands. The union also stands ready to assist in unforeseen disasters such as the Karoi fire disaster which saw some teaching families becoming homeless after their houses were gutted down by a veld fire. ZIMTA quickly moved in to provide temporary but decent accommodation for the affected members.

Gender Mainstreaming

The union is involved in promoting programmes and activities that gender mainstreaming advance in the union of educators. Occasionally workshops and campaigns that seek to enhance, deepen and strengthen gender mainstreaming amongst the rank and file of the trade union are conducted. International calendar events such women’s month are generally used to increase awareness of gender parity roles of women and men issues within all union structures.

Labour Rights Campaigns

As a union of educators, we believe that human rights are entitlements that every person has by virtue of being human as enshrined in the Zimbabwean Constitution. In that regard ZIMTA associates, affiliates and collaborates with other organisations the world over in advocating and lobbying for the awareness of RIGHTS and in particular the labour rights of educators.