While some pupils spent their first day at school on Wednesday revising last year’s work, Grade 1 learners at CM Vellem Primary School were playing, dancing and singing songs in their classrooms – without a single teacher present.
While some pupils spent their first day at school on Wednesday revising last year’s work, Grade 1 learners at CM Vellem Primary School were playing, dancing and singing songs in their classrooms – without a single teacher present.
The principal of the school, Ntsiki Mpahlwa-Mene is fuming and says she is disappointed with the department of Education for not finding a solution to the severe shortage of educators.
She said she was hoping to receive news that five vacancies would be filled by the beginning of term, three of which are expected to teach the Grade 1 classes. She said: “I am thwarted and frustrated, I don’t know how are we going to start this term missing five staff members.
Three of them are Grade 1 teachers, a grade which is very critical to the learners’overall academic development.”
According to Mpahlwa-Mene the posts were advertised last year and the selection was concluded in December, but the education department hasn’t sealed the deal yet.
The department’s provincial spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani did not explain what had caused the delay but said the district office has requested education Superintendent-General (SG) Harry Nengwekhulu to respond to its request for temporary staff at the school.
He added that “the probability is that by the end of this month those posts will be filled”. When pressed further to give causes for the delay, he said:“The district is awaiting the response of the SG as he is the one who can give the green light on the matter.”
Explaining how the department will address the chaos that is most likely to erupt as 160 Grade 1 learners roam around the school unattended, Pulumani said there are processes that need to be followed and that the department is “seriously considering all the merits of this issue”.
