Teachers union protest sacking of 7 in Nyamirambo

The stage is being set for a possible legal action in Nyamirambo, Nyarugenge District, after an Aprec-run school terminated the contracts of seven teachers accused of several wrongs, including insubordination and failure to complete the syllabi. The teachers, however, contend that they are victims of favouritism among the school’s top administrators, while a labour union says there was no ground for sacking the teachers.Senjousmel, a workers’ union that advocates for the rights of teachers, medical workers and security officers, is up in arms with a parents’ school based in Nyarugenge District over the dismissal of seven teachers.The school in question was formerly known as St Charles Lwanga and is currently operated by a parents’ association called Aprec .The teachers had their contracts terminated, last month, over what he administration said was “intolerable mistakes.”The dismissal was endorsed by Pierre Claver Kayitare, the legal representative of the association which runs the primary school with more than 1,000 pupils.The teachers in question include Noëla Mukasine, who has served the school for the last 12 years.According to a November letter, a copy of which this paper has seen, Mukasine was dismissed for going on maternity leave without applying for one like the Labour Law requires. She was also accused of not completing the syllabus of the year, which the letter said was tantamount to abuse of trust.However, the terminated teachers have instead accused the administration of favouritism.“I have more than 120 students in my class. This year, there were only two failures. Which is the most acceptable benchmark to evaluate my performance than this? I don’t think the school has any basis to dismiss me,” said Paulin Nshimyumugaba.“The school is favouring some of our colleagues so much that they abuse us in front of students without any fear for retribution,” complained Jean Pierre Murazimana, who has taught at the school for the last seven years.Instability at school In different correspondences, Senjousmel maintained that the school management erred in dismissing the staff under open-ended contract and asked the administration to revisit the decision.“These teachers played a big role at the school and this is evidenced in the fact that it is now among the best in Nyarugenge District. They have never been reprimanded for anything and I think the reasons behind their dismissal are baseless,” said Abdon Faustin Nkotanyi, the executive secretary of Senjousmel.Committe set upHowever, Kayitare accused the labour union of inciting the teachers and creating a needless crisis. “The union promised teachers that once they become their members, they will lobby for the increment of their salaries and since last year when they joined, their discipline has significantly backtracked up to the level we could not tolerate,” said Kayitare.According to Alexis Nkurunziza, the executive secretary of Nyamirambo Sector, it is not a problem of teachers or the union; but a management crisis.“In just one year, at least three directors have been dismissed. It is clear that something is wrong,” Nkurunziza said.Nkurunziza added that the sector authorities are concerned that the crisis will affect the quality of education that the school offers.He said Nyarugenge District authorities have put in place a committee to look into the issue.The committee is expected to bring together the school administration, the union in question and the victims, before end of the year, to seek an appropriate solution in the interest of the pupils.

National

Teachers union protest sacking of 7 in Nyamirambo