RUNDU – Unemployed graduate teachers countrywide are planning to camp at regional education offices on 26 March 2024, as they say no response was received following a protest held last year.
Last November, unemployed teachers countrywide held a demonstration, demanding that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture undertake a mass recruitment exercise.
They also demanded the full implementation of a policy on the teacher-learner ratio, total abolishment of interviews with immediate effect, and the return of teaching sessions or shifts as exercised during the Covid-19 period.
Speaking to Nampa on Wednesday, unemployed teachers’ spokesperson David Nekaro said there are more than 8 000 unemployed graduate teachers nationwide, with the number expected to increase this year.
“There was no response from the ministry, whether from the region or nationally, despite our attempts to still meet with them,” he added.
Nekaro said their only option is thus to camp out at the directorate’s offices until they receive a response.
“We will only leave their offices once we have a positive answer,” he emphasised.
Nekaro called for the halting of education courses at tertiary institutions, as he said there are too many unemployed graduates on the streets. Producing more would thus just increase unemployment, and affect the country’s economy.
In response, the executive director in the ministry of education Sanet Steenkamp said they have provided a response via various media houses.
“The issue of unemployed graduate teachers remains a national concern. Our mandate as a ministry is only to look into the demand and supply. We can only appoint teachers where the needs are,” she added.
Steenkamp said the ministry cannot follow different recruitment instructions, as they have to work according to the Public Service Act.
They have also consulted the office of the attorney general on the issue, and are working behind the scenes with various stakeholders, but are met with challenges. “In the next few days, we are writing to the regional education directors, based on the needs they have indicated to us. Then, we will advertise those positions for one week,” Steenkamp stated. – Nampa
(Teachers)