140, 000 TEACHERS REGISTERED WITH TCZ

MORE than 140,000 teachers across the country have registered with the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) but we are calling on more to comply as this comes with benefits to members, council spokesperson Ngoza Malonga.

Ms Malonga said in an interview in Kasama yesterday that Northern Province alone had over 9,000 teachers who had registered and that the national total number included teachers from public and private schools, community school teachers, as well as those still seeking employment.

“Over 9,000 teachers in the Northern Province have been registered but we are appealing to those who have not yet registered to do so because teacher registration is law now and everyone has to register,” Ms Malonga said.

She said advocating for continuous teacher educational training was top on the council’s agenda because the country could never attain meaningful education without education.

“The benefits are that if you are registered with the council, you are operating under the full protection of the law and of course as we move on, there will be the issue of advocacy to look into the welfare of teachers and the council will not necessarily champion the cause, but partner with necessary stakeholders.

“The council will also champion the cause of continuous educational development so that teachers can be reskilled to equip them with necessary information that they need to move along with. In order for us to attain meaningful development, there is need to have qualified teachers,” she said.

She said the council was still in the process of issuing practicing licences and that they will be done by the end of December adding that the number of teachers who had registered so far was overwhelming. He also said in order not to disadvantage the teachers, the TCZ had relaxed the mode of payments after stakeholders raised concerns.

“On the mode of payments, we listened to what our stakeholders were saying and we understood the economic challenges and so, practicing teachers, will not have to pay the total amount at once. They have to pay in 36 months which translates into 36 equal payments.

“The practicing licence is renewed after 36 months, denoting three years. So, the teacher will have paid the full amount and when they are done, it will be up to them to either continue with part-payments or pay at once.

“Community school teachers pay less than other teachers and they also have a flexible payment terms,” she said.