adminVusumuzi Dube and Lungile Tshuma Sunday News Reporters
GOVERNMENT has assured teachers who were beneficiaries of the cadetship programme at various teacher-training institutions but cannot access their certificates as their fees have not been paid that they should not panic as the relevant ministry is engaging the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to resolve the impasse. This comes on the backdrop of reports that teachers who were under the scheme could lose their jobs following the Government directive instructing all teachers to submit their original certificates to the commission.
Students who learn under the scheme were given copies of their certificates or transcripts, and will only access their original certificates when Government pays their fees and the students complete their bonding period.
Government owes institutions over $61 million in unpaid cadetship fees.
In an interview with Sunday News, Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Dr Godfrey Gandawa confirmed that his ministry had received reports of teachers who were failing to get their certificates as required by the Civil Service Commission because of unpaid cadetship fees.
He, however, said teachers should not panic as his ministry was working on rectifying the problem.
“We are aware of the challenges faced by teachers who were on cadetship programme. By nature, these students are given certified copies which they use to look for employment until Government finishes paying their debt and they complete their bonding period.
“However, the crisis is that the commission is demanding original copies of which they don’t have. We are therefore in talks with the Civil Service Commission to see how best the matter can be resolved, the teachers should hence not panic,” said Dr Gandawa.
He said the Ministry was working round the clock with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to pay off what was owed to various institutions through cadetship fees.
At Hillside Teachers’ College, graduate teachers who were under the cadetship programme were being asked to settle their fees, with authorities saying Government had failed to pay off the fees hence they would not release their certificates.
Most of the students owe the institution up to $2 000.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said his organisation was going to engage Government this week to resolve the matter. He said they had noted that there was no communication between the ministry and the Civil Service Commission.
Teachers interviewed said they were now trying to get bank loans so they pay off what they owed for them to get their certificates.
The latest development has been triggered by the Civil Service Commission which demanded the recently graduated 5 000 teachers to submit their certificates as required by the law.
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