By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Harare – Despite a government policy aimed at freezing mid-year teacher transfers to protect the stability of exam classes, it has emerged that teachers handling Grade 7, O-Level, and A-Level students may still be transferred but only under strict medical exceptions.
The clarification was made by Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Torerayi Moyo, in Parliament last week, following concerns over how rigidly the policy is being enforced.
The Ministry had initially introduced the transfer ban in response to a surge in requests from rural-based teachers seeking to move to urban areas, a trend that threatened to leave many schools especially those in remote areas without staff during the critical months leading up to final examinations.
“We cannot afford to disrupt learning for examination classes by allowing arbitrary transfers mid-year,” said Minister Moyo.
However, the Minister explained that the ban is not absolute. Teachers dealing with exam classes may still be granted transfers if they suffer from chronic medical conditions that require consistent access to healthcare facilities.
“Such teachers may be considered after providing proof, usually from a medical expert, that there is a need for them to move to a place where they can receive attention from a doctor,” Minister Moyo said.
“Any other reason for a transfer request is never entertained for teachers taking examination classes.”
This means that while the Ministry continues to uphold a strict no-transfer policy during the academic year, teachers whose health requires them to be closer to hospitals or specialists may be permitted to relocate even during the term.
For all other teachers handling critical examination classes, transfers remain frozen until after final exams, with most transfers processed during the third term in preparation for the following academic year.