Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140) - Zimbabwe (Ratification: 1998)

Articles 2–6 of the Convention. Granting paid educational leave. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the draft Labour Bill provides for paid educational leave as one of the areas to be included in the scope of collective bargaining. The Government indicates that consultations on the formulation of a national policy for the promotion of paid educational leave will be initiated upon the conclusion of the labour law reform process. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the new law once it has been adopted. It further requests the Government to include detailed information on the tripartite consultations held in relation to the development and coordination of the national policy and the outcome of such consultation.

Article 7. Financial arrangements. In response to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that, at the moment, it does not have the capacity to administer a national fund for paid educational leave. It is nevertheless envisaged that, following the promulgation of the new Labour Bill, the respective bargaining councils (National Employment Councils) will establish sector-specific funding mechanisms for paid educational leave. The Committee recalls that employers, collectively or individually, public authorities and educational or training institutions or bodies, and employers’ and workers’ organizations, may be expected to contribute to the financing of arrangements for paid educational leave according to their respective responsibilities (Paid Educational Leave Recommendation, 1974 (No. 148), Paragraph 12). The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide information in its next report on the progress achieved in relation to measures taken under the national policy to finance arrangements for paid educational leave.

Article 8. Discrimination. The Government indicates that, following the labour law reform, the respective National Employment Councils will be tasked with developing measures in their collective bargaining agreements to guarantee equal access to paid educational leave regardless of gender. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted within the national policy and within the context of the labour law reform to ensure that all workers, without discrimination, have equal access to paid educational leave.