3 000 Kavango teachers left out in the cold

Already understaffed schools in the two Kavango regions were dealt a severe blow last week when government announced there is no money to recruit and deploy over 3 000 unemployed teaching graduates in public schools.

This decision comes despite a rise in learner enrolments – a situation that has forced teachers to double their workload over the years, with some teachers at times teaching more than 45 learners in a class.

The allowable teacher-to-learner ratio in public schools is 1:35.

No money

Responding to a recent press statement signed by thousands of unemployed teacher graduates, some of whom have been unemployed for over five years, the education ministry's acting executive director, Knox Otto Imbuwa, said the ministry cannot hire teachers beyond its financial capacity.

“While we sympathise with those who are yet to secure employment in the teaching service, the ministry regrettably cannot be obliged to recruit the unemployed teacher graduates beyond the capacity of its financial means and physical infrastructure." Imbuwa said.

Imbuwa's statement comes just seven months after President Hage Geingob ignited hope among unemployed teachers when he said N$200 million had been reserved for the employment of new teachers during the State of the Nation address (Sona).

“I reiterate the government’s commitment to driving reforms towards transforming our education sector. This financial year, the government allocated N$20.6 billion, or 24 percent of public expenditure, towards the education sector, from which N$200 million is for the recruitment of new teachers,” Geingob said at the time.

Empty promises

The graduate teachers questioned whether Geingob was aiming to score political points.

They wrote that during his address, the president "promised N$200 million for additional teaching posts. Up to now, it has not yet been fulfilled. Can we conclude that this was a mere promise and a political statement to score cheap political points? Why is the president very comfortable giving empty promises for political gains at the expense of the children and youth graduates in the streets?"

Ready to protest

Prior to the ministry’s response, the unemployed teacher graduates had given the ministry 14 days to provide a favourable response, warning that they were prepared to demonstrate and shut down the regional offices.

“We are giving the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture 14 working days to positively respond because our demands are reasonable and genuine. The response should be accompanied by mechanisms to be employed and the time frame for such implementation,” the graduates noted.

"Should there be a failure to respond or give unfavourable response, we will take action against the ministry, including shutting down the directorates of education, arts and culture, among others.”

When contacted for comment yesterday, the leader of the group of unemployed teacher graduates, David Nekaro, said they had taken note of the ministry’s response, which left them with more questions than answers.

He said the group will need to convene and discuss the ministry's response before deciding on the way forward.

In recent years, Namibian Sun has reported on unemployed graduate teachers constructing their own schools with the hope of having the school registered by the state and securing employment.

In Kavango East, there are about five unregistered community schools.

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