TEACHERS’ UNIONS CHALLENGED ON BUSINESS VENTURES

GOVERNMENT has challenged the Basic Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) to seriously diversify its sources of income if the union is to serve its members well and meet their ever increasing demand for improved service delivery.

General Education Minister, David Mabumba, said teachers who are BETUZ members have a lot of challenges and government alone could resolve them.

Mr Mabumba said trade unions have been living from hand-to-mouth and it was high time the union moved away from that type of lifestyle.

He disclosed that some schools had found a way to sustain themselves through production units.

The Minister noted that if trade unions, like BETUZ, failed to transform themselves, the labour movement would be left behind and the members will not find them relevant any more.

“We, as government and you, the social partners should put our heads together for us to come up with solutions to the many challenges that teachers are experiencing,” he said.

“Your members are highly indebted and sometimes, as management, we understand why they have found themselves in such a situation, but again, we may not have immediate answers to resolving such challenge,” said Mr Mabumba,

This was contained in a speech read by Permanent Secretary Technical Services, Jobbicks Kalumba, at the official opening of the 13th BETUZ Annual General Conference at Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone, under the theme, “A United and Strong Union for Effective Member Representation through a Diversified Financial base.”

Mr Mabumba said the government was looking forward to a day when people will walk into a BETUZ Commercial Bank, managed by a board of teachers, to get a loan to build

a retirement house, and even pay for their education at low lending rates.

And BETUZ president, Felix Wakyembe, said teachers were the most affected by the economic challenges the country was currently experiencing.

Mr Wakyembe said it was important therefore for government to seriously realize the role that teachers play in the development of the nation.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has asked all labour movements in the country to reject Bill 10.

ZCTU Deputy Secretary General, Elasto Njovu, said the position of his union on Bill 10 has been clear from the word go.