16 Nov 2022

Ministry of Education and Skills Development is in the process of sourcing funds to pay close to P4million severance benefits owed to temporary teachers and Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) officers across the country.

Minister of Education Dr Douglas Letsholathebe told Parliament that no interest would be paid on payments in line with current financial procedures.

Kweneng is owed over P1, 7million, Central over P154 000, South East over P540 000, Southern over P569 000,  Kgalagadi over P102 000, North West over P1, 3million, and North East over P368 000.

He said the ministry had employed a total of 3 086 temporary teachers and 353 SHE officers across the country.

Dr Letsholathebe said temporary teachers unlike permanent teachers were to be paid on the last day of the month to avoid a situation whereby an officer had been paid in advance for days not worked.

The Minister said he was aware that the Employment Act stated that employees should not be paid later than the third day of the month, however, salaries for temporary teachers were processed on the last day of every month which caused delays.

He said the ministry would continue to endeavour to process the salaries in the shortest time possible after the last day of the month to avoid inconvenience.

He was responding to a question from Palapye MP Mr Onneetse Ramogapi who asked the minister to apprise Parliament of the total number of temporary teachers and SHE officers in the country.

Mr Ramogapi had asked the minister the total amount of severance benefits owed per sub-region and what caused the delay in payments. He also wanted to know what was being done to address the situation as well as whether the delayed payments would be paid with interest taking into consideration the erosion of purchasing power.

Part of his question was why temporary teachers and SHE officers were paid their monthly salaries late and if the minister was aware that the Employment Act stated that the employees should not be paid later than the third day of every month. ENDS