GOVERNMENT and the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) are heading for a showdown over the planned firing of unqualified and under-qualified teachers.
Government had no right to kick out 2 165 unqualified and under-qualified teachers, Nantu said yesterday. A memorandum of understanding signed between Nantu and the Ministry of Education in 1999 states that all serving teachers with a Grade 10 or 12 certificate must upgrade themselves by the end 2007 through a recognised tertiary institution.Nantu Secretary General Basilius Haingura told a media briefing in Windhoek that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) stated that no unqualified teacher would be employed but said that those with “exceptional circumstances” would remain in the job.Around 2 165 teachers, mostly over 40 years, will not meet the requirement.However, Haingura blamed this on the Ministry disqualifying Azaliah College – through which many unqualified teachers enrolled – as a recognised institution, and on limited spaces in tertiary institutions .He said the MoU did not contain any clause on the termination of service for teachers who were unable to finish their qualification because of problems between institutions they were enrolled with and Government.”Due to a lack of teacher learning institutions in the country, many of our members or teachers could not be admitted to the Government in-service training programme.The issue should be handled with prudence and without ignoring the history of this country,” Haingura said.He said many teachers had been threatened with expulsion by officials at regional offices – something he termed as unacceptable.”All teachers must be given time to complete their studies.They can’t be dumped now,” he said.He said Nantu was discussing the plight of the 2 165 teachers with the Ministry of Education.Last year Nantu warned their members, some of whom have been in the profession for more than 15 years, that they risked being kicked out of their jobs if they failed to meet the required qualifications by the end of 2007.Teachers at the primary level need a three-year diploma as a minimum requirement, while those at secondary schools must at least have a four-year degree, according to the MoU.At the time the union warned teachers who had withdrawn from their studies to return to their books immediately.A memorandum of understanding signed between Nantu and the Ministry of Education in 1999 states that all serving teachers with a Grade 10 or 12 certificate must upgrade themselves by the end 2007 through a recognised tertiary institution.Nantu Secretary General Basilius Haingura told a media briefing in Windhoek that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) stated that no unqualified teacher would be employed but said that those with “exceptional circumstances” would remain in the job.Around 2 165 teachers, mostly over 40 years, will not meet the requirement.However, Haingura blamed this on the Ministry disqualifying Azaliah College – through which many unqualified teachers enrolled – as a recognised institution, and on limited spaces in tertiary institutions .He said the MoU did not contain any clause on the termination of service for teachers who were unable to finish their qualification because of problems between institutions they were enrolled with and Government.”Due to a lack of teacher learning institutions in the country, many of our members or teachers could not be admitted to the Government in-service training programme.The issue should be handled with prudence and without ignoring the history of this country,” Haingura said.He said many teachers had been threatened with expulsion by officials at regional offices – something he termed as unacceptable.”All teachers must be given time to complete their studies.They can’t be dumped now,” he said.He said Nantu was discussing the plight of the 2 165 teachers with the Ministry of Education.Last year Nantu warned their members, some of whom have been in the profession for more than 15 years, that they risked being kicked out of their jobs if they failed to meet the required qualifications by the end of 2007.Teachers at the primary level need a three-year diploma as a minimum requirement, while those at secondary schools must at least have a four-year degree, according to the MoU.At the time the union warned teachers who had withdrawn from their studies to return to their books immediately.
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