Thousands more teachers face axe

Thousands of teachers face the axe amid reports that government will soon embark on a head count of pupils and students at schools to wipe out ghost learners.

This came amid reports that some headmasters and other school authorities were inflating the numbers of pupils in order to get more teachers than required and to qualify for more funding.

Sources said that the headcount would begin next month. The exercise will be similar to the head count of teachers done a few months ago where it emerged there were indeed ghost teachers.

Close to 3 000 teachers did not receive their salaries last month for various reasons, among them that they were not present at their work stations when Civil Service Commission officials visited to conduct an audit.

The government was reportedly determined to reduce surplus teachers in the event that it could be proved that there were inflated numbers of learners.

According to sources, those found to have inflated the numbers of learners faced prosecution and dismissal.