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The state of affairs in Matabeleland North which according to the Provincial Education Director, Boithatelo Mnguni, is operating without a single qualified Advanced Level Physics teacher is very worrying. This explains why the province is performing poorly in science subjects in public examinations.

Mnguni said the province was relying on temporary teachers to teach Physics at A-level. She said what had exacerbated the problem was that most secondary schools in the province did not have science laboratories making it difficult for the temporary teachers to teach science subjects.

Mnguni said because of the shortage of qualified science teachers, only 34 pupils sat for Physics at A-Level, 85 for Biology, 24 for Chemistry and 128 for Mathematics in the whole province last year. She said the province was relying on graduates from universities such as the National University of Science and Technology who are not qualified teachers. Most secondary schools in Matabeleland North confirmed that they are operating without Physics teachers especially at A-Level.

Government should urgently address the shortage of science teachers in both Matabeleland North and South which has seen the two provinces performing poorly in science subjects in public examinations at both O and A-Level. The shortage of science teachers in both Matabeleland North and South provinces is blamed on brain drain that has seen an exodus of qualified teachers leaving the Public Service to seek greener pastures in neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

Matabeleland region is the worst affected in the country because of its proximity to the neighbouring countries. It is for this reason that we call upon the government to come up with specific measures to address the crisis in Matabeleland. There have been complaints that not many students from this region are enrolling with Nust and what is coming out clear is that very few students from this region qualify to enroll with Nust whose emphasis is on science subjects.

Lupane State University also requires students that have passed science subjects at both O and A-Level. Students from this region will therefore continue to be denied the opportunity to be enrolled at local universities because they lack science subjects at both O and A-Level. It is against this background that we want to implore the government to come up with ways of addressing the brain drain in this region.

Teachers that are leaving for neighbouring countries should be retained at all costs. There could be a need to come up with special incentives for science teachers which could be in the form of loan facilities, housing and other such incentives to retain these ‘special teachers’. It is a fact that science and mathematics teachers are in high demand in neighbouring countries and the only way to stop the teachers from leaving for these countries is to come up with attractive packages.

The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development on its part should increase the enrolment of students training as science and mathematics teachers. Teacher training colleges should churn out an increased number of science and mathematics teachers until we have the required number.

The other alternative could be introducing a short teacher training course for graduates from institutions such as Nust who are already working as temporary teachers. We want to once again implore the government to move with speed and address the shortage of science and mathematics teachers in Matabeleland region.