Villagers slam absent teachers

SOME Central province villagers said that many of the teachers who were posted to teach in their villages failed to show up last year.
Some were now trying to abuse the system by claiming for leave fares for jobs they never did, one group of villagers said this week.
“Many teachers who were appointed for their postings never turned up for work and yet they made a big fuss about their leave fares every year,” one disgruntled villager said.
“Some have genuine reasons and they deserve their vacation leave fares but for those teachers who hinde behind other good teachers should be ashamed of themselves.”
This is evident as The National has published some stories last October on schools shutting down and others had no teachers attending to their students, thus resulting in closure of classes.
Students often turned to illegal activities while others stay home even though they have the brains and heart to learn because of teachers’ absence.
A villager from Rigo district said many of the schools in the district were affected by teachers’ negligence.
An estimated 30 elementary schools and
10 primary schools
in the Rigo inland local-level government (LLG) closed early because
of teachers’ absenteeism for almost six months.
Those schools included Homenomu elementary and primary, Utuaika primary, Unumomu elementary and Marunomu elementary school.
This was revealed by Rigo inland LLG president Ivan Namia, who said teachers posted there stayed for a week or two and were back in the city hanging around but are getting their fortnightly wages for doing nothing.
Meanwhile, Central provincial administration (CPA) education adviser Titus Hatagen said there are vacancies in teachers’ postings for this year were because many teachers have been suspended and have to go back to the districts with a reasonable explanation.
“From the district level, the education coordinator will write to us with their explanation to secure their appointments, otherwise they are left out,” he said.
However, he said the postings were yet to be completed as teachers will have to accept or reject the offer they are given on their appointments this Friday.
From then, a review will be held next Tuesday to finalise the appointments and postings of all teachers in the province.
“We have done much better than previous years and for the record, we have only 42 teachers yet to pay and that’s all that we are working towards,” Mr Hatagen  said.