By Khanyisa Khenese
A demonstration by grade 11 and 12 Mary Waters High School learners on Monday this week over the shortage of teachers, prompted an urgent intervention by the Education department, the SGB and community members.
The learners protested on Monday, burning tyres at the school’s entrance. The frustrated learners boycotted classes and marched to the district office to raise their concerns.
On Tuesday, 16 July, the school and stakeholders held a meeting to discuss and resolve the issue of the non availability of a Mathematics teacher in the school.
Speaking with Grocotts’ Mail, Eastern Cape Education department spokesperson, Mali Mtima, said an existing teacher in the school was appointed in the meeting and she started teaching Maths to grade 10 to 12 learners on Wednesday.
“The teacher is part of the staff members with Maths, but she was teaching Mathematics Literacy. After careful consideration, we spoke with her and she assumed her responsibility of teaching Maths at the school.”
However, Mtima highlighted that the teacher shortage still cripples the school.
“Currently we have a vacant position for a Maths Lit educator whom we are currently recruiting as of yesterday (Tuesday) so that the post can be filled. We intend to ensure that at least within five to seven days the position will be filled so that learners can be taught Maths Lit,” he said.
Mtima added that the Maths teacher will develop an intervention plan that will assist learners to catch up on time lost so that they are fit to write their coming trial examination.
The meeting was held in private and members of the media were not allowed.
However, it is alleged that the absence of a Maths teacher in the school comes after the death of teacher, John Daniel Martinus. Martinus taught grade 10, 11 and 12 learners for terms 1 and 2 after the current reappointed teacher was demoted from teaching Maths to Maths Lit.
After the protest action, the learners pointed out that the person who helped them at the district office had explained that the problem of a Maths teacher was the principal’s problem as he should have taken back the teacher that taught Maths before Martinus.
Sinesipho Zenani and Lisakhanya Sindile, both grade 12 learners, said the shortage of teachers in the school affects them. “Even when the teacher was here because our pass rate is down, I can’t even apply to universities using my term two marks because they are bad. But not having a teacher in front of us is quite a painful thing.”
Chairperson of the Unemployed People’s Movement, Mahlubandile Kuhlane, told Grocotts’ Mail that Mary Waters is not the only school facing a shortage of teachers in Makhanda. He said many other schools faced the same challenge. “Without undermining what was said in the meeting that there is no shortage of teachers in Makhanda, from what we know there is a shortage of teachers in Makhanda schools because you can’t have a principal teaching learners. The principals are supposed to run and manage the school, not teach. For example, we are shocked to hear that even the principal has two classes. This is a shred of evidence that indeed there is a shortage of teachers,” said Kuhlane.
