26 Nov 2015

The Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development Mr Moiseraela Goya has told Parliament that there are 1303 temporary teachers who are at junior and senior secondary schools throughout the country.

Answering a question on Wednesday, Mr Goya said their contracts terms vary according to the reasons attributable to their temporary employment.

He said temporary teachers engaged on behalf of teachers on study leave are contracted for the duration of their studies.Other reasons for absence which warrant recruitment of temporary teachers Mr Goya said include unpaid, maternity or prolonged sick leaves. 

Mr Goya highlighted that the experience gained by temporary teachers gives them opportunity to be captured in the pool of the ministry’s entry level graduate database. 

He stated that they continue to be absorbed on permanent and pensionable basis when suitable vacancies become available in all subjects including Mathematics and Science.

He also highlighted that if a senior teacher 1 post is established is then filled accordingly with experienced teachers like in Selokolela primary. 

Mr Goya said positions of senior teacher 1 benefit schools with low performance in the primary school leaving examinations (PSLE).He further stated that there are 125 teachers responsible for Guidance and Counselling who are not trained in the Southern District.

He added that most primary schools guidance and counseling teachers are not formally trained but have been in-serviced to offer psycho-social support to learners.

He said his ministry continues to provide in-service training and also provides long term training for the primary school teacher counselors.

Assistant minister Goya was answering a parliament question asked by the Member of Parliament for Ramotswa Mr Samuel Rantuana who wanted to know the number of temporary teachers employed in junior and senior schools country wide and their terms of contract.

He also asked if the minister did not find it necessary to give them pensionable employment especially the Mathematics and Science teachers. BOPA