Govt to recruit 5 000 teachers

PROSPECTIVE teachers begin registration for employment today at the nearest district education offices countrywide, as Government moves to reduce the number of unemployed, but qualified educators.

The registration process is expected to run for the next six days up to Saturday.

Prospective teachers are expected to produce original qualifications, birth certificate and identity documents and must only register once at the selected district indicating only two preferred provinces.

For the infant education module, applicants are expected to provide proof of proficiency in local languages, especially for formerly marginalised indigenous languages spoken in the district of choice.

Those already registered must go and check at their respective district education offices on whether their names still appear on the database and effect changes.

In a statement, Primary and Secondary Education Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela said the latest development followed concurrence from Treasury to recruit 5 000 teachers for the next year.

“The Government approved and authorised the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to recruit 5 000 teachers in 2020,” she said.

“These teachers shall be recruited in two batches. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will be carrying out a registration exercise for prospective teachers who will possibly fill in vacancies for the 2020 financial year.”

Statistics released by the Public Service Commission at the beginning of the year showed that there were 19 993 unemployed, but qualified teachers, with some not at work since 2012.

This is despite the fact that then, the staffing gap in Government schools stood at 8 509, thereby disadvantaging learners and retarding attainment of national educational goals.

This has seen teachers in service working on a teacher-pupil ratio of up to 1:70 instead of the recommended average of 1:20.

In an effort to close the gap, Government recruited 3 000 teachers at the beginning of this year.

Although an official comment could not be immediately sought from the unemployed teachers, through their association, they are on record stating that the number of employed teachers surpass current staff establishment.

The teachers have since recommended to Government to enter into bilateral arrangements with neighbouring countries to export surplus human resources.