Unions concern at vacant school posts
AS THE end of the year draws nearer, unions say thousands of educator posts at KwaZuluNatal schools are still unfilled.
And with the provincial Department of Education yet to publish its vacancy list, there could be a crisis brewing, they say.
According to the unions, the vacant posts include principal, deputy principal and head of department posts, and without stable leadership structures, the department’s goal of improving the matric pass rate by 10% might not be achievable and schools cannot plan for the start of 2018.
A source said the department usually issued its vacancy list in July so posts could be filled in December or, “at the latest”, January.
Apparently, the delay was a result of the department having to relocate about 750 teachers identified as “excess educators” last year. This meant enrolments at their schools had dropped, causing staff allocations to decrease.
The source said the department should have issued a “principals’ bulletin” to advertise vacant principal posts.
At an Education Portfolio Committee last week, the department said there were 534 KZN schools without permanent principals.
These include Glenwood High, Northwood Boys’ High, Chelsea Preparatory and Northlands Primary schools.
“The department is aiming for an improved matric pass rate of approximately 10%. How can this be achieved when schools are without leadership?” Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie spokesperson Leann Roos asked.
Roos said the department’s failure to move excess educators meant there were too many teachers at some schools and not enough at others.
She said teachers in acting positions had to continue teaching and simultaneously meet the expectations in terms of effective functioning.
The National Professional Teachers Association’s executive director Basil Manuel said a draft vacancy list had been compiled. “I don’t know why it hasn’t been published.”
Department spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa said posts were being filled as and when they became vacant. He urged the unions to be mindful that the department was working with a tight budget.