MoE allays 'retrenchment' fears

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Tuesday January 12, 2010 00:00

Acting permanant secretary, Boeti Molake made these remarks after reports that staff at TT&D were unsure of their job security since the recommendation by the Organisations and Methods reviews (O&M) that the department be disbanded. These reviews were released in 2008. Molake said this recomendation has not been approved.

'I must indicate that no - one will lose their job as a result of the implementation of O&M. However possibilities exist that some people might be re-deployed and this happens all the time whether there is O&M or not. Every now and then when priorities change it becomes necessary to move staff. So it does not really make sense to me that some people should be feeling insecure,' he said.

Molake has indicated that they continue to review all the recommendations of the O&M to reflect on emerging issues. 'We will be approaching Cabinet with suggestions aimed at varying some approved or even rejected recommendations as and when the need arises,' he said. The recommendation of the review was to transform TT&D into a new department comprising of the amalgamation of TT&D and the training division of the ministry.

It was also decided that the in-service function, which is the core business of TT&D be transferred to the regions. 'Since implementation of an O&M is not an event but rather a process and that new issues emerge during implementation, it became necessary that the implementation be phased in. This included the transferring of the in-service and disbanding TT&D,' Molake explained. 

Currently the department is under the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Support Services) and according to Molake it is important that the in-service function be ultimately managed at the region. He said a director has already been appointed and started work in January this year.

On whether a decision has been taken to phase out the department, Molake stated, 'discussions are still ongoing in the ministry to streamline departments and some divisions. It is difficult for me to say what will ultimately happen to TT&D as a department.'

He however revealed that the department would remain as it is until a decision is made following consultations with other key stakeholders in terms of training teachers and developing the department. 'It must be noted that TEC is in the process of rationalising tertiary education with a view that colleges of education should be autonomous.

Therefore in the not so distant future colleges will cease to be under TT&D even if TT&D is retained as a department in the ministry. In the meantime we will continue to resource the department appropriately,' he said.

He clarified the use of education centres as regional offices: 'The truth is that some of the Education Centres will house the regional offices,' he explained.  He said this would mean that some existing facilities at the centre would be turned into offices. 'We must appreciate that we are in a recession and that government does not have money to either build and rent from the private market. In any case, in some districts there are no office buildings for either rental or purchase purposes,' the explained.

He indicated that the reason behind the action should be seen as a temporary measure meant to enable the ministry to take services to the people, including teachers.

He further indicated that some facilities will still be available for use during in-service training for the teachers in regions. 'And again not all in-service activities take place at the centres. We might have to do a lot of our in-service at the school level, which might be more meaningful than the current situation where teachers are taken away from their areas of work,' he said.

Molake further explained that most teachers need to be assisted with the classroom practices than to be taught theories that they are not able to translate in activities that will assist them produce better quality results.

He also noted that the hostels and libraries at the centres would continue to be available for use on a daily basis and during in-service workshops. He stated that they have other institutions such as schools that they can use for workshops.