Shona speaking ECD teachers kicked out of Gwanda

An undisclosed number of Shona speaking Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers who were engaged by the public service commission on behalf of the Ministry of Education in Gwanda last week have had their job offers withdrawn by the Ministry of Education following pressure and resistance from activists in the town.

Information released by very reliable officers within the Ministry of Education in Gwanda claim that the teachers who were appointed last week had come to the Gwanda offices today to get their deployment letters only to be told that their job offers had been withdrawn. No reasons were given to the teachers concerned on why their job offers were withdrawn but were only told to go and try their luck in Esigodini uMzingwane District where interviews were being held today.

Gwanda social and political activist Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo who is also the chairman of the Gwanda Residents Association is reported to have initiated the move to get the teachers removed from the Gwanda Schools. Sources in the Ministry said that Fuzwayo visited the Ministry offices yesterday in the company of another political activists identified as Ndaba Mpande and demanded to see the list of names of the ECD teachers who were hired last week as residents were complaining of Shona soaking teachers being deployed in the area.

According to the sources, the Ministry officials would not immediately release the names and promised to investigate the matter and report back to the activists. However, while the issue was being considered,  high ranking officials within the Ministry's Matabeleland South Provincial offices immediately called for the removal of the said teachers before deployment.

Contacted for a comment, Fuzwayo who would not have much time as he claimed to have been in a meeting in Harare confirmed that they had indeed approached the Ministry of Education offices in Gwanda demanding for the removal of the Shona speaking teachers from teaching ECD. He however could not confirm that the teachers had indeed been removed as they were still waiting for the Ministry to communicate with them.

"I can confirm that we did approach the Ministry on the matter of Shona speaking ECD teachers being deployed to Gwanda rural schools and we are still waiting for an official response from the Provincial Education Director's office," said Fuzwayo.

"I am right now not in a position to confirm if they have been removed or are still there will only know when I get back to Gwanda next week."

Asked on the motive of the move, Fuzwayo said that the action was a noble demand as the guidelines for employing ECD teachers specify that teachers must be able to speak the local language of the majority of the learners in the area.

"I know we are going to be accused of tribalism but that's not the issue. People of any language can come and work any where in our area we can't do anything about that and we are used to it but they can not be deployed to teach our little children using a language which the children do not understand," said Fuzwayo.

Officers within the Ministry offices refused to comment on the matter saying that only the Provincial Education Director was in a position to comment. The director was however not available in her office to give her comment.