Public Service to recruit teachers

Source: Public Service to recruit teachers | The Herald September 2, 2016

Bulawayo Bureau
THE Public Service Commission will soon recruit teachers as Government moves to address the shortage of educators in schools.

The PSC has since written to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education granting them permission to start recruiting.

“Please be advised that, acting in terms of Section 8 (1) (a) of the Public Service Act (Chapter 16:04), the commission has granted authority to recruit teachers to replace members whose services were terminated from January 2016 to date.

“Please be further advised that, the Public Service Commission Secretariat shall be represented in the recruitment process,” reads the statement.

Efforts to establish the total number of teachers to be recruited failed yesterday, but the Government announced in June that up to 10 000 would be engaged.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said they had been informed by the Government of the recruitment drive.

“The uplift of teacher recruitment is a provable development which is going to improve the standards for teaching and learning, as well as the quality of education.

“The issue on teacher-pupil ratio had left many teachers frustrated, not sure of where they stand, but this announcement has surely relieved them,” he said.

The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora was not immediately available for comment and his Deputy Professor Paul Mavhima’s phone was not being answered.

However, last week Dr Dokora assured teachers and headmasters that they were exempted from the Government’s decision to freeze the recruitment and promotions in the civil service.

The Government’s decision is part of its staff rationalisation exercise that is in line with recommendations of the Civil Service Report of 2015.

The rationalisation also saw the Government abolishing more than 8 000 posts in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.

In June, Minister Dokora indicated that about to 10 000 teachers and headmasters could be recruited.

At that time, Zimta said the country has about 120 000 teachers in employment, leaving a shortfall of 10 000. About 25 000 teachers are said to be out of work.

Matabeleland North provincial education director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni last week said the shortage of teachers in the province had resulted in most schools operating with skeleton staff.