The National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has welcomed the government’s intention to recruit 4, 592 teachers across the country.
NAQEZ Executive Director, Aaron Chansa, has told ZANIS in Lusaka in an interview that the move is commendable, as it reaffirms government’s mandate to provide access quality education to people in all parts of the country.
Mr Chansa noted that the recruitment of 4, 592 teachers compared to the previous 2,000 is a good starting point and should be done as soon as possible.
He said since it is already the last quarter of the year, it is advisable that the recruitment is quickened, in order to enable teachers report to their schools of placement, especially in rural areas where the teacher-pupil ratio is less.
And Mr Chansa has advised that the teacher recruitment process should be done using decentralisation in conjunction with District Education Board Secretaries (DEBS) and other teacher unions without any interference from the ministry.
He noted that if the recruitment of teachers is not decentralised, most teachers that are sent to rural areas are within a short period of time seen transferred back resulting in rural areas not having adequate teaching personnel.
Mr Chansa added that the DEBS are aware of the people that do not have issues with staying in rural areas, as a result, if recruitment of teachers is left to them, the nation will be assured of addressing issues of shortages of teachers especially in rural schools.
He further urged the Teaching Service Commission and the Ministry of General Education to ensure that once the recruitment process is enforced, it should be corruption free.
Meanwhile, Mr Chansa has noted that there is also need to make sure that there is consideration of the years in which the teachers graduated so that those who graduated earlier can also be prioritised.
Recently, Minister of General Education, David Mabumba, announced that cabinet approved 4,592 teachers to be recruited and 1,640 supporting staff for the 82 schools government is constructing countrywide, under the Zambia Education Enhancement Project (ZEEP).
In a related development, Mr Chansa has also commended government for plans to engage teachers on internship in order to cushion the deficit in schools especially in rural areas.
He has however advised that schools in the rural parts of the country must be considered first, adding that such schools need teachers the most, and advised government to consider mobilising allowances to be given to them, in order to motivate them and help them with their upkeep.
As usual there will be corruption in the exercise, already text messages are being sent to applicants to solicit for money, I won’t share the number Ruth 1 that’s being used. Those that are shouting ECL2021 already submitted their applications through Ministers and some MPs that are in good books. That’s how PF has lowered the Governance barometer. And Godfridah expects us to join useless prayers, SHAME!
employ all of them.. period.
The Govt is already struggling to pay Salaries to the Civil Servants and Recruitment of Teachers though a good thing means an increase in Head Count and Total Recurrent Expenditures. GRZ is having a Problem in raising Revenue to finance these Recurrent Expenditures.
How does employing some 4,000+ out of over 32,000+ teachers become commendable? No one is serious and it is a shame
Greatest worry in this exercise is corruption. People pay collosal sums of money to officers charged with the responsibility of recruiting. Others have been duped in the process.
Please check this exercise the way you’ve started doing examinations.
Recruit UNZA graduates first before those at Immaculata Teachers Training College.