Education Ministry  moves to hire 10 000 teachers Dr Evelyn Ndlovu

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter

THE Ministry of PRIMARY and Secondary Education has proposed the recruitment of 10 000 teachers in the coming year in order to close the gap of 50 000 teachers needed in schools.

Government this year recruited 5 000 teachers but there remains a serious shortage worsened by the need to establish smaller classes following the outbreak of Covid-19.

Presenting the education report during the 2022 pre-budget consultation meeting, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said there is a need to channel more resources towards recruitment of teachers in the 2023 national budget.

She said the teacher to pupil ratio has implications on the quality of education.

“This needs urgent attention as it affects the quality of education, especially at the infant level. Currently the existing situation on the ground is far from optimal. In the 2022 financial year, 5000 teaching posts were funded against a shortfall of 50 000. In the 2023 financial year, a budget provision for 10 000 teaching posts is proposed subject to Public Service Commission approval and Treasury concurrence,” she said.

Dr Ndlovu also called for the timeous disbursement of funds allocated to the education Ministry.
She said the ministry was allocated $1,4 billion in the 2022 national budget but by August only $650 million had been disbursed.

Dr Ndlovu said delays in the release of funds affects the smooth running of schools thereby compromising the quality of education.

She said there is a need to increase budgetary allocation to the Ministry as the country moves towards provision of free education in line with Constitutional provisions.

“In line with the Constitution and Presidential Declaration, the State funded Education Strategy calls for budget support from both the traditional fiscal appropriated funds as well as through special taxes and levies,” said Dr Ndlovu.

She said International declarations that the country is also signatory to, such as the Dakar recommendation of 20 percent allocation to Education as well as the most recent ‘Kenyatta’ declaration of 20 percent allocation to Basic Education by 2025, both speak to the need to urgently increase the funding of Basic Education.

Minister Ndlovu said what was allocated to the Ministry in previous allocations is not enough to provide for significant impact on the transformation of education, especially for vulnerable groups.

She said more schools need to be connected to electricity and the internet.

“Connectivity to our schools is important as lack of it leads to poor quality of education. The Ministry is working with other Government ministries and agencies to solarise schools, especially in the rural areas.

There is a budget under the capital expenditure component to cater for electricity and internet connectivity. More funding is requested to progressively cover our schools much faster,” she said.–@nqotshili

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