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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter

DEPLOYMENT of teachers in Matabeleland starts today after Government released a list of 1 956 educators recruited by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to serve in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. 

The teachers are part of the first batch of 2 700 whose recruitment the Government recently approved. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education was authorised to recruit 5 000 teachers this year.  The teachers shall be recruited in two batches.

Matabeleland region received 426 teachers with Matabeleland South dominating with 293. Matabeleland North got 133 teachers. There will be no deployments in the two metropolitan provinces of Bulawayo and Harare.

Most of them will be deployed to the most critical areas that include infant and Early Childhood Development as well as secondary and A-level classes.

In a statement yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela said those whose names have been listed should report to their respective district education offices for deployment.

“This (notification of recruitment into service) serves to inform individuals listed below, that you have been appointed by the Public Service Commission to serve as teachers in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. You are advised to report to the indicated district office as soon as possible for deployment,” she said.

Mrs Thabela, however, warned those who misrepresent their year of completion, saying they risked facing consequences of such dishonest behaviour. 

Manicaland province received 278 teachers while the three Mashonaland provinces got a total of 919 teachers.

A total of 271 teachers were deployed to Midlands province while Masvingo received 61. Acting provincial education director for Matabeleland North, Mr Jabulani Mpofu said they have received correspondence from their head office and will start deploying the teachers today. He however, said they were expecting more teachers to be deployed in the province.

“The communication was that every province is supposed to get 270 teachers and in our case the number is below that, which therefore means that we will get another allocation. We are starting the process of registration tomorrow (today),” he said.

Matabeleland South provincial education director, Lifias Masukume yesterday said they would start dispatching the teachers once they receive official communication from the Ministry.

“I saw the list of new teachers who are set to be deployed to various districts in Matabeleland South province in the newspapers. 

“However, as a province, we will only start dispatching the teachers to those particular districts once we get official communication from our head office in Harare and most probably tomorrow (today),” he said.

Mr Masukume said once the deployment starts, they will also make follow-ups to ascertain whether the new teachers would have taken up their posts. 

Despite the latest recruitment of new teachers, there is still a shortage in schools and the Ministry said it will continue engaging Government to address the issue. 

In June last year, the Education Ministry revealed that it was in talks with Treasury to recruit 5 000 teachers as there are almost 13 000 vacancies.  

Government recruited 3 000 teachers last January. — @mashnet

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