The Eastern Cape government is considering hiring almost 2000 temporary teachers to replace those who have been medically boarded or are sitting at home indefinitely due to sickness.
Officials revealed this during premier Phumulo Masualle’s unannounced visit to the department’s headquarters in Zwelitsha yesterday.
Masualle came down hard on officials for not resolving 2000 cases of teachers who still earn salaries despite not being in the classroom.
“This is a very huge loss to the government. It is a loss to these children who do not have teachers in class,” said the premier.
Masualle said some of these teachers have medically boarded themselves and were no longer showing up at work.
Education MEC Mandla Makupula said only the head of department could approve that a teacher be medically boarded.
Makupula said the department would consider employing temporary teachers or substitutes while the cases were being resolved.
He said the delay in resolving cases was sometimes due to paperwork still being gathered by different sections of the human resources department.
Masualle lambasted officials for not paying salaries to teachers.
The unannounced visit was part of his plan to improve the running of the ailing department’s administration and improve the performance of schools.
He visited the headquarters at 8.30am without officials knowing about it.
He started his visit by assessing the department’s record management centre accompanied by Makupula and acting head of department Sizakele Netshilaphala, among others.
Masualle was met by Pheliwe Mtimka, an assistant manager, who explained that the department had a secure facility for safe record-keeping.
Mtimka said this had led to the auditor-general getting the required documentation on time, which improved the department’s audit outcomes.
From there, Masualle went to legal services and later met with planning, evaluation and monitoring deputy director Philiswa Mdikane.
Masualle demanded that Mdikane compile a report detailing infrastructure issues affecting schools to be submitted to Masualle on Wednesday.
Masualle then met with human resource management chief director Welile Payi and his staff, and urged them to swiftly resolve the non-payment of teachers.
Masualle said his visit to the department was intended to energise staff.
“I met some enthusiastic staff members who are equally embarrassed and are committed to turn around the department,” Masualle said. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Temporary teachers may need to step up
Officials revealed this during premier Phumulo Masualle’s unannounced visit to the department’s headquarters in Zwelitsha yesterday.
Masualle came down hard on officials for not resolving 2000 cases of teachers who still earn salaries despite not being in the classroom.
“This is a very huge loss to the government. It is a loss to these children who do not have teachers in class,” said the premier.
Masualle said some of these teachers have medically boarded themselves and were no longer showing up at work.
Education MEC Mandla Makupula said only the head of department could approve that a teacher be medically boarded.
Makupula said the department would consider employing temporary teachers or substitutes while the cases were being resolved.
He said the delay in resolving cases was sometimes due to paperwork still being gathered by different sections of the human resources department.
Masualle lambasted officials for not paying salaries to teachers.
The unannounced visit was part of his plan to improve the running of the ailing department’s administration and improve the performance of schools.
He visited the headquarters at 8.30am without officials knowing about it.
He started his visit by assessing the department’s record management centre accompanied by Makupula and acting head of department Sizakele Netshilaphala, among others.
Masualle was met by Pheliwe Mtimka, an assistant manager, who explained that the department had a secure facility for safe record-keeping.
Mtimka said this had led to the auditor-general getting the required documentation on time, which improved the department’s audit outcomes.
From there, Masualle went to legal services and later met with planning, evaluation and monitoring deputy director Philiswa Mdikane.
Masualle demanded that Mdikane compile a report detailing infrastructure issues affecting schools to be submitted to Masualle on Wednesday.
Masualle then met with human resource management chief director Welile Payi and his staff, and urged them to swiftly resolve the non-payment of teachers.
Masualle said his visit to the department was intended to energise staff.
“I met some enthusiastic staff members who are equally embarrassed and are committed to turn around the department,” Masualle said. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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