15 May 2013

The principal education officer at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) North West Regional office says his ministry is at an advanced stage to open two sub-regions, one at Gumare and another one at Shakawe.

Speaking in an interview recently, Mr Molefinyana Morebodi said the two sub-regions would cater for the welfare of their clients and address other pertinent issues.

In addition, he said the offices would eliminate concerns of bureaucracy and reduce the turnaround time in service provision and also relieve the Regional Education office in Maun.

Mr Morebodi was responding to complaints by some temporary teachers who allegedly said they had not been paid their salaries for April.

He said there were 130 temporary teachers employed within the region who were usually paid on the last day of each month.

“First and foremost, the main reason which contributed to this delay is the fact that schools re-opened mid-month on April 16, 2013 and this would mean all appointed temporary teachers reported on or after the said date,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Morebodi indicated that assumption of duty letters would therefore have been done after April 16, 2013 and for the letters to be received by the regional education office, it would require more time.

“But so far they have all been paid even though it was late,” said Mr Morebodi. He further said the vastness of the region covering places such as Mogolokwane to as far as Gudigwa contribute negatively to service delivery.

 Mr Morebodi further said the ministry continue to communicate with concerned parties to keep them up to date and as such, communication to school management was done regularly.

“The period taken to process their payments is not as long as reported, because it only took six working days for the revenue office to have prepared the cheques,” he concluded. ENDS