ZNUT COMMEND GOVT FOR PLANNED TEACHER RECRUITMENT
ZAMBIA National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) in Northwestern Province has welcomed government’s plan to recruit more teachers this year to further reduce the teacher deficit and improve the learning outcomes.
ZNUT Organising Secretary Setty Maseka said teacher unions in the province are elated with the pronouncement made by President Hakainde Hichilema during his address to Parliament last Friday stating that the move guarantees an improved teacher-pupil ratio.
Mr Maseka told ZANIS that recruitment of more teachers will reduce unemployment levels amongst the trained teachers.
“since the introduction of free education, a lot of children that dropped out of school due to failure to pay school fees are back in school creating over enrollment, and so this comes at a time when we have so many trained teachers on the streets,” Mr Maseka observed.
He has since called on the human resource management committees in various districts to begin preparing their records straight and level the ground for those applying to stand a better chance of being picked.
“During the recent recruitment exercises, a number of complaints were raised by those left out, some had justified complaints, hoping this time around the requirements by Teaching Service Commission will be to the advantage of the applicants, others have waited for too long,” he said.
He has appealed to government through the Ministry of Education to consider upgrading teachers that have acquired higher qualifications in order for the system to be seen to be relevant.
“A number of engagements have been there with government but the pace at which it is being done is slow and so our call for an accelerated response to this effect. If anything, our demand from government is that they should upgrade a good number as this will in turn create vacancies for the ones they intend to recruit;” he stated.
“Rural schools must be given a priority as most urban schools are already overstaffed. That is the position of ZNUT in the province,” he stated.
Mr Maseka said that providing quality education requires improved numbers of teachers and performance at all levels, reduced failure rate, accelerated contact time with learners and above all effectiveness and enhanced efficiency.