News / National
Zimbabwe govt gives greenlight to employ temporary teachers
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The Government has granted parents the authority to hire temporary teachers in critical subject areas such as sciences and Early Childhood Development (ECD) while awaiting the recruitment of permanent educators by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has set a target to employ 8,000 teachers this year to address the ongoing teacher deficit in schools. The shortage is most severe in ECD, with science and mathematics also among the most affected subjects.
During a parliamentary Question and Answer session, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Angeline Gata confirmed that School Development Committees (SDCs) have been permitted to employ relief teachers where funding is available.
"As a ministry, we have gone public on the shortage of teachers at ECD and other science learning areas," Deputy Minister Gata said. "We have even extended that to other levels/grades that could be experiencing critical shortages in schools."
She noted that the ministry's request for additional teachers was being considered by the PSC, but in the interim, SDCs had been allowed to engage para-professional teachers to mitigate the shortage.
"Over the years, the ministry has been getting the services of what we call para-professional teachers. These were engaged by our School Development Committees (SDCs) to alleviate the shortage of teachers in our schools. The School Development Committees were given the mandate to do so by the ministry on a temporary basis."
Deputy Minister Gata assured that these relief teachers would be replaced once the PSC deploys qualified educators to affected schools.
She also clarified that the Government does not interfere in the contracts between relief teachers and parents.
"The contracts of these para-professionals were between the schools and members concerned and they were only contracted subject to the availability of funds to pay them by the schools," she stated.
The move aims to ensure continuity in education while the Government works towards resolving the teacher shortage crisis.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has set a target to employ 8,000 teachers this year to address the ongoing teacher deficit in schools. The shortage is most severe in ECD, with science and mathematics also among the most affected subjects.
During a parliamentary Question and Answer session, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Angeline Gata confirmed that School Development Committees (SDCs) have been permitted to employ relief teachers where funding is available.
"As a ministry, we have gone public on the shortage of teachers at ECD and other science learning areas," Deputy Minister Gata said. "We have even extended that to other levels/grades that could be experiencing critical shortages in schools."
She noted that the ministry's request for additional teachers was being considered by the PSC, but in the interim, SDCs had been allowed to engage para-professional teachers to mitigate the shortage.
Deputy Minister Gata assured that these relief teachers would be replaced once the PSC deploys qualified educators to affected schools.
She also clarified that the Government does not interfere in the contracts between relief teachers and parents.
"The contracts of these para-professionals were between the schools and members concerned and they were only contracted subject to the availability of funds to pay them by the schools," she stated.
The move aims to ensure continuity in education while the Government works towards resolving the teacher shortage crisis.
Source - The Chronicle
