adminTHE Government has secured an additional $2 million for the Teacher Capacity Development programme, to put to $5 million the total amount of money available for the exercise, a cabinet minister has said.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Lazarus Dokora, revealed this to Sunday News last week.
The Teacher Capacity Development programme, a brain child of the education ministry with input from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, was launched in July this year by President Mugabe.
An initial $3 million was made available for the programme at its launch, with the Government injecting $600 000 while the other 2.4 million was donated by Unicef.
Dr Dokora told Sunday News that the money would be used to fund scholarships for teachers who intend to further their education with selected local universities.
Although Dr Dokora could not immediately reveal the source of the additional $2 million, he said his ministry was making frantic efforts to secure more funding to allow more teachers to be catered for under the programme.
“The programme is aimed at developing teacher’s capacity. If one has a diploma we would want them to upgrade to a first degree, and if they have a first degree we would encourage them to upgrade to a Masters degree.
“Those who have not have teaching qualifications but hold degrees and are in the system, also have an opportunity to convert their respective qualifications to suit where they are employed.
“This programme is part of our efforts to find local solutions to the problems that we are facing, and we are quite optimistic that this will go a long way in improving the quality of our education delivery,” he said.
Dr Dokora said teachers who would have successfully applied for the scholarship will be sent to selected universities around the country for their studies in areas of their choice, but related to education.
The local universities that have been partnered by the Government for the capacity development programme include the University of Zimbabwe, Great Zimbabwe University, Midlands State University and the Zimbabwe Open University.
Some of the disciplines available for further study under the programme include, Sciences, Mathematics, Education Planning, Building and Designing, Languages, Humanities, Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Humanities among other areas.
Dr Dokora said teachers who want to take part in the programme will do so on a voluntary basis, contrary to reports in some sections of the media that the Government had issued an ultimatum to teachers who do not have core subjects at Ordinary Level.
He said teachers who would be selected for the programme, will have their tuition covered by the Government for the duration of their study and the money would not be deducted from their salaries, as they would be bonded and expected to work for the Government for a specified period.
“Teachers don’t need to worry that money might be deducted from their salaries after completing their studies.
“This programme will not affect anyone’’s salary at all. What we want is to build teachers’ capacities and retain their services, so teachers who would have benefited from the programme will be bonded and work for Government for a specified period.
“There have been reports that we are going to force people to go back to school. Those reports are false.
“This programme is aimed at assisting teachers upgrade their qualifications, and participation will be on a voluntary basis,” he said.
Dr Dokora said the selection process for applicants will be done soon, after his ministry dispatches the application forms to all schools for interested teachers to apply.
He said the first batch of teachers to benefit from the programme are set to be selected by 1 December this year to allow them to start their studies by the beginning of next year.
“Selection will begin as soon as all the logistical arrangements are in place. We have partnered reputable universities with which the selected teachers will further their education.
“There has to be a coherent selection strategy. We shall deposit the application form on our website as well as send to all provinces so that teachers who are interested can apply,” said Dr Dokora.
The Education minister has on numerous occasions come under fire from teachers’ unions, parents and other stakeholders for the changes he has instituted in the education sector since assuming office last year.
Among some of the changes made by Dr Dokora was the ban on payment of teachers’ incentives by parents, a move that caused a huge outcry among teachers who relied on the incentives to augment their “poor” salaries.
Dr Dokora has, however, remained defiant in the face of heavy criticism, insisting that the changes were meant to bring sanity in the education sector.
He also accused the media of misrepresenting facts, setting him on a collision course with stakeholders.
Online Reporter