BULAWAYO – The government says it plans to recruit 6,000 new teachers in preparation for schools opening which could see overcrowded classes being split in observance of Covid-19 regulations.

Zimbabwe has eased some of its lockdown regulations imposed in March when the coronavirus was first detected, with bars, schools, churches and borders all set to be re-opened by October 1.

Authorities say the virus has been brought under control, but teachers fear the government is ill-prepared to deal with new outbreaks and have declared strikes as they also press for better pay.

Exam-sitting classes – Grade 7, Form 4 and Upper Sixth – are re-opening on Monday, with Grade 6, Form 3 and Lower Sixth set to follow on October 26. The rest of the classes will return to school on November 9.

The government’s own guidelines say each class should not have more than 35 pupils, but teachers’ unions say due to a shortage of teachers and classrooms, many schools have classes averaging between 50 and 60 pupils.

Social distancing requirements for pupils to maintain a meter apart means big classes would have to be split – imposing new pressures on school facilities and teaching staff.

“We’re recruiting about 6,000 teachers starting this term to cover for the workload which is coming with the trimming of classes,” primary and secondary school ministry spokesman Taungana Ndoro said.

“We have around 9,000 schools in the country so we need the teachers to take the extra classes that will be created.”

Ndoro did not say how the teachers would be recruited, or when the process would begin. Zimbabwe has over 10,000 trained teachers who have failed to find employment, according to unions.

Schools were closed in March and only children from well-to-do families have been able to keep up with their studies through private lessons delivered online.

Teachers fear poorer children will be disadvantaged by the government directive to re-open schools and write examinations after missing more than four months of learning time.

Primary and secondary education minister Cain Mathema said exams are likely to spill into the new year, although schools are expected to close in December.

Zimbabwe has recorded 227 deaths from 7,787 coronavirus cases. At least 6,057 had made recoveries, according to government figures provided on Sunday.