Teachers’ fate to be decided next year

ANY axing of unqualified and under-qualified teachers will be illegal and the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) will fight it tooth and nail.

Nantu Secretary General Basilius Haingura told The Namibian yesterday that they were still negotiating the fate of around 1 000 teachers with the Ministry of Education and that a move to boot them was not in their vocabulary. “All teachers have to go back to their duty stations next year.Our position is that they have been appointed on a permanent basis and the Ministry has no right to just terminate their services,” Haingura said.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 their qualifications by the end of this year through a recognised tertiary institution.Nantu argues 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 1 000 teachers, most of them over 40 years old, will not meet the requirement.In March this year the number stood at 2 165 but over 1 000 teachers have since upgraded their qualifications.Many teachers were well into their studies when the Ministry of Education disqualified Azaliah College – with which many unqualified teachers were enrolled – as a recognised institution.Nantu said the MoU did not contain any clause on the termination of service of teachers who were unable to obtain qualifications because of problems between institutions they were enrolled with and Government.The union said many teachers had been threatened with expulsion by officials at regional offices – something they termed as unacceptable.Haingura said Nantu would meet the Ministry early next year to continue with the discussions.”It is important that we iron out the differences.Removing so many teachers from the schools will be fatal, especially since we already have a high death rate of teachers and struggle to get new graduates in rural areas,” Haingura said.He said it would be “very difficult” to replace teachers who were already in the profession.According to Haingura the Ministry needs to urgently address the issue of incentives for teachers to move to rural areas.Most of the unqualified and under-qualified teachers work at primary schools and in rural areas.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 have at least 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.”All teachers have to go back to their duty stations next year.Our position is that they have been appointed on a permanent basis and the Ministry has no right to just terminate their services,” Haingura said.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 their qualifications by the end of this year through a recognised tertiary institution.Nantu argues 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 1 000 teachers, most of them over 40 years old, will not meet the requirement.In March this year the number stood at 2 165 but over 1 000 teachers have since upgraded their qualifications.Many teachers were well into their studies when the Ministry of Education disqualified Azaliah College – with which many unqualified teachers were enrolled – as a recognised institution.Nantu said the MoU did not contain any clause on the termination of service of teachers who were unable to obtain qualifications because of problems between institutions they were enrolled with and Government.The union said many teachers had been threatened with expulsion by officials at regional offices – something they termed as unacceptable. Haingura said Nantu would meet the Ministry early next year to continue with the discussions.”It is important that we iron out the differences.Removing so many teachers from the schools will be fatal, especially since we already have a high death rate of teachers and struggle to get new graduates in rural areas,” Haingura said.He said it would be “very difficult” to replace teachers who were already in the profession.According to Haingura the Ministry needs to urgently address the issue of incentives for teachers to move to rural areas.Most of the unqualified and under-qualified teachers work at primary schools and in rural areas.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 have at least 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.