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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A FEW weeks after the opening of schools, a number of teaching posts in rural schools have been filled by holders of non-teaching related degrees and diplomas and teachers undergoing training.In the process some temporary teachers who have been in the field for years have been left out in the recruitment exercise as those with diplomas or cerrtificates not related to teaching and trained teachers now stand an equal opportunity of securing teaching posts.
This comes after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) last year assumed responsibility over recruitment of teachers as stated in the new constitution. The process was followed by an announcement that government was now employing holders of non-teaching related diplomas and degrees.
Prior to the beginning of this term CSC posted notices advising applicants to send in their CVs for teaching posts. This was followed by a series of interviews for applicants who comprised trained teachers, teachers under training and holders of non-teaching related tertiary certificates.
The recruitment prioritised newly qualified graduates with diplomas and degrees in the teaching field, retirees with approval letters and those with certificates, diplomas and degrees in non-teaching fields.
Among those who were omitted in the recruitment process were untrained teachers who had gained teaching experience over the years.
“It appears as though I might not be getting any job this time around as I have made countless trips to the Civil Service Commission offices in a bid to get a job but my efforts have been fruitless.
“I have been teaching at a secondary school in Bulilima District for the past two years. I completed my A-Level studies and moved on to teach at the school before receiving any tertiary qualification.
“The experience I gained each school term enabled me to do my job despite not having any tertiary qualifications. I was now being treated as a reliable asset to the school because of my years of experience,” said Mr Wilfred Dlamini.
“This time around I was told that I would not be getting a job as I did not have any tertiary qualification. I made repeated visits to the offices with hope that they would consider my case once O-and A-Level certificate holders were considered for employment.
“Despite being unqualified for this job I assumed that my two years in the teaching field would be put into consideration because I think I am a step ahead of a person with a tertiary qualification for a non-teaching related course.”
Following the directive by CSC a number non-teaching related degree and diploma holders have resorted to taking up teaching posts in a bid to secure employment.
The education sector has become the employer of most who have failed to secure employment in their fields of expertise.
A National University of Science and Technology (Nust) graduate from the Faculty of Communication and Information who secured a teaching post at a school in Mangwe District said: “Teaching is not my passion but it is the only option that I have at my disposal right now.
After failing to secure a job which I trained for I then opted to move to teaching after the government announced that it was taking up holders of non-teaching related tertiary certificates.
“Employment is difficult to come by and I saw it best to grab the opportunity which had come my way. I do not have any experience in teaching but I hope to survive in the profession until I secure a proper job.”
For some who secured jobs, teaching is just but a time pushing occupation as they wait for “real jobs” in their respective fields of training.
This stance by government was in a bid to provide graduates with employment.
However this development has been met with mixed feelings from parents and education officials who have questioned the quality of education now that people without teaching qualifications have been engaged.
“This new recruitment process has disrupted continuity in the learning process. Some people who had gained teaching experience over the years yet without receiving training have been kicked out.
“This has disrupted continuity which is a crucial element in the learning process. Pupils should not go through the hands of several teachers in short space of time as they will spend most of their time trying to adjust to various teaching methods and not the content being delivered to them,” said an education official from Bulilima District.
“Teaching does not only require a certificate only but a skill which one acquires through receiving training at a college or through experience gained by spending several years in the field.
“People who have gained teaching experience are a great asset to the education sector. Not all people who have non-teaching related qualifications have a passion for teaching and it takes passion and determination to perform to the fullest.”
The official said the district had a number of vacant posts for qualified teachers which were now occupied by untrained teachers.
“We have always emphasised the importance of having qualified teachers to fill in vacant posts in the district. Some of the gaps have been filled alright, but by untrained teachers. We have always had a problem with filling up gaps as qualified teachers shun our schools.
“Filling gaps with untrained teachers is not the solution because pupils need to be taught by qualified teachers in order to get quality education. Therefore anomalies in these schools should be addressed,” he said.
Schools in Matabeleland South province have been experiencing a shortage of qualified Science and Mathematics teachers, a problem that has resulted in students performing dismally in these two crucial subjects.
Government is on the other hand in the process of recruiting about 6,000 teachers this term to fill vacant posts at both primary and secondary schools.
This comes amid revelations that the sector requires at least 150,000 teachers, with a huge chunk of the backlog being Maths and Science teachers. The situation is reportedly worse in rural areas as most qualified teachers shun being deployed there, thereby putting the rural pupil at a disadvantage.
Qualified teachers have shown disinterest in taking up teaching posts in rural schools due to unfavourable working conditions such as water shortages, unavailability of electricity and transport challenges faced when trying to access schools.
According to statistics, between 2005 and 2010, the country was training between 2,500 and 3,000 teachers per year in a population of 14 million, while other countries in the region were training far below their manpower requirements but relying on luring teachers from Zimbabwe.
In 2012, over 45,000 teachers had relocated to neighbouring South Africa, the majority of whom were Mathematics and Science specialists. At one point Government was forced to lift the freeze on the recruitment of temporary teachers to help ease the shortage and the CSC is now recruiting university graduates who do not have the relevant teaching qualifications.
During 2012 the country’s Advanced Level pass rate marginally dropped to 82,09 percent from 85,2 percent the previous year while of the 207,212 who sat for their Ordinary Level, 80,5 percent failed.
Zimbabwe has about 3,950,000 pupils at 8,065 schools.
The government also announced that it will consolidate strategies of improving the country’s pass rate at schools with the major focus being put on developing a vibrant model of primary education.
Newly appointed Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Lazarus Dokora, said the mainstreaming of primary and secondary education would go a long way towards strengthening progress made in the education sector and improving its standards.
He said research has shown that low pass rates at Grade Seven and Ordinary Level are traced to some failures at primary level, possibly at Grade One calling for the need for ministry to look at ways of strengthening the primary education to guarantee a strong foundation for improved passes.
Although Zimbabwe has the highest literacy rates in Africa, there have been concerns over low pass rates especially at Ordinary Level.
Online Reporter