Sacked: 263 teachers
… 10 for having sexual relationships with pupils and forged certificates
MORE THAN 260 teachers have been dismissed by the teaching service commission (TSC) has for various offenses including having sexual relationships with pupils and forged academic or professional certificates in the on-going qualifications clean up, Commission chairperson Stanley Mhango has disclosed.
Mr Mhango told the Daily Nation in an interview yesterday that 263 teachers were fired for various unethical conduct. Mr Mhango disclosed that out of the 263 teachers, 10 were sacked for sexual relationships with their pupils, while the rest were dismissed for faking their professional certificates. “First of all, the Teaching Service Commission in line with the Service Commission Act, is empowered to enforce the code of ethics for the Teaching Profession Act and all those officers that were found guilty in terms of unethical conduct where they engaged in sexual activities with the school going children have since been dismissed from the service. “After they were dismissed from the service, we actually submitted their names to the Teaching Council of Zambia so that they are deregistered from the profession, meaning that when one is deregistered they cannot practice anywhere in the country or world as teachers,” Mr Mhango said. He added, “As of June this year, we dismissed about 263 teachers. About 10 were dismissed for having sexual relationships with their pupils and the big portion is for those who had fake qualification.” Mr Mhango warned that the commission will have no leniency on the teachers found exercising immoral behavior. He has warned teachers involved in sexual relationships with their pupils to stop before they face dismissal from the service. Mr Mhango said, the dismissal of 263 teachers was a wakeup call to others who want to get employed through dubious means. He, however, said while the commission does not take delight in dismissing people from employment, it has the duty to protect learners from unqualified teachers.