Teachers shun Salajwe

Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Thursday March 6, 2014 17:46

Education Minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi told Parliament yesterday that efforts to fill the vacancies have been unsuccessful because teachers have turned down postings to the school. She explained that the teachers do not want to serve in Salajwe.

To overcome the challenge, she said the government is using incentives like payment of remote area service allowance to encourage teachers to work in areas like Salajwe.

She dismissed talk that lack of permanent staff is responsible for the poor performance of Salajwe Primary School. She said other stakeholders like parents and students remain key in examinations performance.

The primary school has a staff compliment of 19, including the school head and the deputy. Of the 17 teachers in the school, eight are permanent and pensionable while nine are temporary. Venson-Moitoi said the nine temporary teachers are standing in for permanent staff on study leave.

The minister was responding to questions from Letlhakeng West MP, Ngaka Ngaka who had asked if she was aware that temporary teachers at the primary school outnumbered permanent teachers.

He asked how the situation has affected the school’s performance and what she is doing to address the situation.