Schools still not properly equipped

CAN someone please tell me what our department of education is thinking?

We are finishing off the first term and most schools in the northern areas haven’t received a writing book or even a piece of stationery.

We might have received textbooks, but only a percentage of the orders.

This is apart from the fact that the department or management is playing with people’s bread and butter.

It put a bulletin out in December, extended it to January, then had schools do interviews and everything.

It then told schools that teachers should start on April 1, just for it to withdraw the bulletin on March 13. My problem starts here. I work as a teacher earning a stipend because my school is a no-fee school – that’s a salary of about R7 000.

Some of my colleagues earn R6 000 or less.

In December I applied to nearly 30 schools.

Each application pack had about 15 pages – that’s all my academic records and everything they required.

Let’s do the maths. Libraries charge you about 70c a page for photocopies – 15 x 70c = R10.50 an application pack. Then R10.50 x 30= R315 just for application packs.

This excludes the petrol money and the postage for the ones I had to send to the rural areas.

Now you tell me I can somewhat afford it, but now I need to reapply for the same posts.

I have been in a substitute post for more than a year almost and have only received half of my money.

In the department of education it’s a norm you work each day but you wait three months for your salary.

To the officials, it’s just a simple matter of “it’s waiting to be signed off”.

To me, having to call and run after my own money makes me wonder why I am doing someone else’s job. That’s human resources for you.

Can someone please explain where we are going with a department that cannot do a simple project management task right? At least try to deliver textbooks, or at least try to pay salaries on time.

You are looking at the matric results next year when our northern areas don’t have teachers.

Matric results start with a good foundation from primary school!

I am a teacher who cannot give up on education because my pupils need me even if you don’t see my worth.

Name supplied, Port Elizabeth