Teachers' concerns over scarce skills to be addressed

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Friday January 22, 2010 00:00

Teachers have been concerned why some of their colleagues were left out of the scarce skills occupations although they had been put under that category in schools.

A savingram, dated October 28, 2009, from the director of the Teaching Service Management (TSM), Phillip Tsumake, lists some of these occupations as chemists working as chemistry teachers, lecturers with BSc (science), Post graduate diploma, masters and Bachelor of Education degrees in science and chemistry as well as chartered accountants who are commerce or accounting teachers.

Also listed are lecturers holding ACCA or CIMA, the occupation of computer systems by computer studies teachers or lecturers with degrees in computer science or information technology.  Also included are Information Technology technicians with diplomas in computer science, information technology and Special Education (speech therapists, sign language interpretation), who are practicing as special education teachers or lecturers with degrees in special education, Masters and Bachelor of Education degrees in special education.

According to Justin Hunyepa, the Executive Secretary of BOSETU, the meeting over the issue has been overdue as the union had submitted a written complaint to the ministry late last year.

'We were supposed to have a meeting with the TSM over the issue but they kept on postponing the date. We registered our complaints to show that it is an anomaly to have left out the physics teachers,' Hunyepa said.  Hunyepa further revealed that scarce skills in the teaching fraternity was suspended in 2000 after being introduced in 1999, leaving out a big chunk of eligible teachers. He said BOSETU (then BOFESETE) protested over this move resulting in its suspension.

The newly appointed director of TSM, Matlhogonolo Mokakapadi, confirmed the meeting and stated that the issue of scarce skills was on the agenda of issues to be discussed. 'We will see from the outcome of the meeting what the final decision will be,' he said.