A nine-year-old Gwanda based primary school pupil has filed an urgent High Court application seeking an order barring teachers from embarking on strike.
Amohelang Ulukile Dube , a pupil at Mafuko Primary School, filed his papers at the Bulawayo High Court.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta), Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) and Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector have been cited as some of the respondents.
Other respondents include the chairperson of the Public Service Commission Vincent Hungwe, Primary and Secondary Education minister Cain Mathema ,Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Paul Mavima as well as Finance minister Mthuli Ncube.
Dube’s application follows last week statements by the teachers unions declaring incapacitation to travel to their various workstations due to poverty.
The government last week announced that schools will be reopened in a phased approach with examination classes commencing on August 30 while the remaining ones will resume on September 6 next month.
He is being represented by her grandmother Senzeni Nyathi through Ndove and Associates lawyers.
The boy claims that the unions ‘s decision to bar their members from attending classes was violation of sections 75 and 81 of the country’s Constitution.
He argues that the move violate the children rights to education.
“I further seek ancillary relief to the effect that the government be ordered and mandated to provide teaching staff to ensure that there would be no interruption of teaching services or classes in all public primary and secondary schools in Zimbabwe so that the rights of are not violated,” reads part of Dube ‘s founding affidavit.
The applicant said he is praying that the Court will issue an order which compels teachers to report for duty within 48 hours after the granting of the order. The respondents are yet to file their opposing papers.