Observer Teachers Exploited

WE APPRECIATE the efforts by the Ministry of Education, under the good leadership of our two Ministers, for supporting vacation classes for the Grade 10 and 12 pupils countrywide from August 24 to 31 August. It’s really a good initiative to improve learners’ performances. But the conditions and the way observer teachers are being treated, in terms of remuneration, is inhumane and does not show respect for them in Oshana Region.

Observer teachers were confined at school for 24 hours. They had to spend eight days in the hostels to look after the learners, mark activities and homework, plan together with a tutor and supervise the study session, plus all other school chores.
The same teachers were not even allowed to attend national day celebrations such as August 26 because they had to be in class that day.
Observer teachers work 24 hours and receive less than N$200 a day and there is no overtime, while a tutor gets more than N$1 000 a day and the inspectors, with subject advisers who are supervising, get more than N$3 000.
In reality we are doing the same work and are forced to work non-stop.
Why is there such a big gap if we are all professionals? How does the director expect these teachers to perform if they are treated like this?
Does the director expect these teachers to participate in this exercise next time if they are  exploited like this? Why does she want observer teachers to volunteer if they are not paid accordingly? The director together with the management of Oshana are very selfish.
I suggest the director be reasonable and treat her teachers better by paying them at least half of the tutor’s remuneration and overtime for working on Saturday, Sunday and the public holiday. These teachers have families to take care of and they left them unattended fromThursday 23 August up to Friday 31 August 2012.
Please Nantu (Namibia National Teachers’ Union) and our minister should intervene because we a suffering.

Concerned teacher
Oshana region

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