NAQEZ Executive Director, Aaron Chansa

GOVERNMENT FAILS TO MEET ITS OWN DEADLINE TO PUBLISH THE LIST OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES AS NAQEZ SAYS FAITH IS WANING AWAY

Government yesterday failed to meet its own deadline to publish the list of successful candidates for teachers and health workers

Civil Service Commission had earlier communicated that the lists for successful health workers and teachers would be published latest by June 24, 2022. As at yesterday, no such list had been published anywhere.

Earlier in the week, unemployed health workers and teachers revealed that they had notified Police of their intention to hold a joint protest march to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education respectively, if Government fails to publish the list of successful candidates by Friday as promised.

Chairperson for unemployed Doctors, Dr Wallace Ndumba, told KBN TV in a telephone interview that a joint committee for both unemployed health workers and teachers has since notified the Police of their intention to protest.

“Kindly take note we are basing our demand on the secular that was last communicated by both the Civil Service Commission and the Ministry of Health, indicating that the lists will be published between the 20th to 24th June, 2022,” Dr. Ndumba said.

Meanwhile, the National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) says it’s doubtful of the sincerity and feasibility of the teacher recruitment exercise.

In a Press Statement released today, Saturday 25, 2022, NAQEZ Executive Director, Aaron Chansa, says the loud silence by Government on this important national matter troubling, unhealthy, torturous to all the applicants and injurious to the Education Sector.

“While we have honestly trusted and supported this exercise, it is now extremely difficult for us to believe in it. The last bit of faith we had in the exercise is slowly but surely waning away,” says Chansa.

Below is the full Press Statement released by NAQEZ:

“WITH all the uncertainties enveloping the highly anticipated 2022 teacher recruitment exercise, National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) has doubted the sincerity and feasibility of the exercise.

During his presentation of the 2022 national budget on Friday, 29th October, 2021, the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, informed the nation that Government had secured funds to recruit 30,000 teachers.

In January 2022, the Minister of Education, Hon. Douglas Siakalima, announced that the 30,000 teachers would be in schools in May, 2022. Against this assurance, the process has dragged up to now without clear explanation from the Teaching Service Commission, the Ministry of Education or the Government Spokesperson.

NAQEZ finds this loud silence by Government on this important national matter troubling, unhealthy, torturous to all the applicants and injurious to the Education Sector. While we have honestly trusted and supported this exercise, it is now extremely difficult for us to believe in it. The last bit of faith we had in the exercise is slowly but surely waining away!

In the initial stage, the exercise had a very clear road map and all Zambians trusted the process. If the process is to regain the confidence of the citizens, Government will have to immediately publish the list of successful candidates. This publishing is long overdue. Like many others, and because of the critical shortages of teachers in Zambia, we cannot overemphasize the need to have the 30,000 new teachers employed and posted to schools.

In case Government has encountered serious challenges over this matter, it is important for our leaders to communicate to the people.. Keeping mute is damaging the good name of Government as it is breeding unnecessary and toxic speculations and rumours every day.

Government owes an explanation to the more than 100,000 unemployed teachers, their families, educational stakeholders and the entire population. If the process has collapsed, as some quarters are suggesting, it is necessary for the Government to communicate to its people.”

Issued by:

Aaron Chansa
Executive Director
0979 552885
Email: aaronchansa80@gmail.com

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