Ministry of Education in a dilemma, teacher crisis looms

WITH schools opening for the third term today, the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture is in a dilemma over recruitment of temporary teachers following Thursday's directive by the Civil Service Commission barring Government heads of ministries from making any appointments.

The CSC, previously known as the Public Service Commission (PSC) under the old Constitution, is now responsible for the administration of the country's civil service including appointing temporary teachers in the education sector.

In separate interviews yesterday, provincial education officers said the directive has left them in a dilemma amid fears that the move might negatively affect the learning process for the third term.

The third term is a crucial term as pupils will be preparing to write their final examinations.
"We are not very clear of what to do. Although our officers had made some recruitments it means those teachers would not assume duty until we get approval from the CSC.

We will, however, keep those records until we get the go ahead," said Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni, the provincial education director for Matabeleland North.

"As schools open this will affect the learning process because there are schools that are run by temporary teachers. From the directive it looks like no one should assume duty until we get approval."

Mrs Mnguni said although her province had set 8 September as deadline for the submission of recruitment forms to the Salary Services Bureau (SSB) to ensure that those recruited get paid on time, there would be a delay following the directive.

"This means teachers will delay assuming duty and that means delay in their salaries also. We will now have a challenge of hunting for these teachers and their deployment especially to remote schools will take longer. It is unfortunate that we got the directive when our districts had done some paperwork," she said.

Matabeleland South provincial education director Mrs Thumisang Thabela also said her officers would not recruit any teachers until they received a directive from the head of the ministry.

"We have not received any circular and we are waiting for a directive from above. We will not recruit any teachers until our head of ministry advises us on what to do," she said.

The Permanent Secretary for Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Mrs Constance Chigwamba declined to comment saying she had not received the document about the directive.

"I have not been in office for some time and I cannot comment on that issue because I have not received that document. I need to read the directive first. Why can't you talk to the PSC?" said Mrs Chigwamba.

CSC chairman Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwa also could not comment on the issue as he kept saying he was locked in a meeting.
The directive, according to the CSC, is in line with the provisions of the new Constitution whose other sections came into effect after the inauguration of President Mugabe on 22 August.

The commission warned that anyone who authorises any recruitment would meet the employment costs of the appointed person.

While teachers' unions applauded the move, saying it would improve the management of the civil service, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) said the Government should have made a leeway for a transitional period to ensure that learning was not affected.

"So far the commission has not given the direction on what will happen to the education sector. While we welcome the directive in the sense that it will allow educators to stick to their mandate of teaching, we feel the Government through CSC should have created a transitional mechanism in the recruitment of teachers," said Zimta chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu. "This being a transitional period it will affect the learning process.

We hope this system will be quickly decentralised to provinces and districts so that pupils do not suffer."

The education sector is said to have a shortage of up to 22 000 qualified teachers.

In the past, the PSC would delegate heads of ministries to make appointments on its behalf and then forward the names of the appointed persons to the commission.

Issuing the directive CSC secretary, Mrs Pretty Sunguro said it was in compliance with the provisions of the new Constitution.
She said the commission had withdrawn and cancelled all its circulars and general letters that delegated the power to appoint members of the civil service to heads of ministries.

Mrs Sunguro was quoted as saying: "Henceforth, appointment of any member of the civil service will be the sole mandate of the Civil Service Commission. Therefore, any appointment made by any head of ministry or any other member than the Civil Service Commission shall be null and void.

Any member who authorises such an appointment shall be personally liable for the employment costs of such appointments."
Subject to Section 65 (5) of the new Constitution, CSC will be responsible for fixing and regulating conditions of service of members of the civil service, including salaries, allowances and other benefits.