By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has condemned the alleged forcing of teachers and school administrators to attend a Teachers for Economic Development (Teachers for ED) national administration workshop being held at Dadaya High School from August 19 to 22.
ARTUZ said it was concerned by reports that education personnel were being “compelled or pressured” to participate in programmes that fall outside their professional mandate.
In a Thursday statement, the teachers’ union said a circulated notice for the workshop indicated that it was intended to equip school administrators with skills to implement the Heritage-Based Curriculum, comply with government policies and statutory requirements, and achieve Vision 2030.
The programme would also expose participants to emerging geopolitical trends and the integration of teachers into the mainstream economy.
“Teachers and school administrators must not be subjected to political or ideological orientation under the guise of professional development,” ARTUZ said.
According to a July 19, 2026 notice issued by the Teachers for ED the four-day workshop was scheduled for August 19, 20, 21 and 22, with participants expected to travel on August 18 and return on August 23.
Invitation letters were addressed to provincial commissioners and mobilisation officers, school heads and their deputies, schools inspectors, School Development Committee officials, representatives of responsible authorities, as well as NASH and NAPH executives.
Organisers said the workshop would focus on challenges associated with implementing the Heritage-Based Curriculum and aligning school administrators with government policies, statutory requirements and Vision 2030.
The notice also said participants would be exposed to “emerging trends in the geo-political world” and the integration of teachers into the mainstream economy.
A section of the notice titled “Yours Ideological Orientation of Administrators in the Education Sector” identified Makoni Bright M, described as the association’s national head of mobilisation, as the issuer.
Participants were required to pay US$70 for administration, food, accommodation and identification costs.
The notice instructed delegates to make payments into a ZB Bank account held in the name of Teachers for Economic Development and to submit proof of payment before registration.
Organisers set a target of at least 50 delegates from each province and gave August 4 as the deadline for registration and payment.
ARTUZ said the financial requirements raised further concerns, particularly if public school funds were being used to meet attendance costs or supplementary allowances.
“If school funds are indeed being used to finance attendance at such programmes, this raises serious questions about the prioritisation and accountability of scarce resources in our schools,” the union said.
Schools, ARTUZ said, were already facing shortages of learning materials, infrastructure deficiencies, teacher shortages and limited operational resources.
“School funds must serve learners and the core educational needs of schools,” it said.
ARTUZ called on the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to clarify whether teachers and administrators were being required or pressured to attend the workshops, whether public funds were being used to finance participation and what statutory authority governed their attendance.
The union also wants the ministry to explain how the programme is linked to its official professional development framework and whether any political or ideological content is being delivered under the cover of professional development.
“ARTUZ rejects the politicisation of Zimbabwe’s education system,” the union said.
It argued that the Heritage-Based Curriculum should remain an educational framework and “must not be used as a vehicle for partisan political indoctrination”.
ARTUZ urged school heads, teachers and other education workers who felt coerced into attending such programmes to document their experiences and seek representation and protection of their professional rights.
“Schools must not be milked dry while learners lack basic resources,” the union said.
ARTUZ said it remained committed to defending teachers’ professional rights and welfare and protecting public education from political interference.
