The Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PTUZ) has snubbed calls by the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for it to merge with the other three teachers unions. The Professional Teachers Union of Zambia (PTUZ) has snubbed calls by the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for it to merge with the other three teachers unions.
PTUZ General Secretary Kangwa Musenga said that there was no need for PTUZ to merge with the Basic Education Teachers Union (BETUZ), the Zambia National Trade Union of Teachers (ZNUT) and the Secondary School Teachers Union (SESTUZ), as its representation cuts across all sectors in education.
“PTUZ merges early childhood, primary school teachers, secondary school teachers and lecturers,” Mr. Musenge explained.
Mr. Musenge said the union has objectives and policies to fulfill to its members and that there is no guarantee that the merger will bring effectiveness in the negotiations and representation of its members.
He also noted that the issue concerning the recognition of PTUZ has been ignored for too long even though the union has been in existence for four year.
Furthermore, Mr. Musenge expressed that PTUZ was not invited to meetings held by other unions; citing the recent World Teachers Day celebrations as an example.
“That is why we did not attend the celebration [World Teachers Day] and when we wanted to make a speech they did not allow us to [do] so,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Musenge said PTUZ is delighted with the 2013 national budget and hoped that it would help settle some of the challenges being faced in the education sector.
“We expect the budget to address a number of challenges which range from offloading the areas teachers have, consolidating the retention allowance for degree holders, creating vacancies for the establishment of schools,” he said adding that government should work to towards improving infrastructure in primary schools.
On 12 October 2012, Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda proposed a total of K5.6 trillion to be allocated to the education sector, out of the K32.2 trillion 2013 national budget presented.
PTUZ cold-shoulders call for merger
