• Recruitment of 1, 200 teachers is not enough to meet the teacher pupil ratio.
• The country has a deficit of more than 58, 000 unemployed teachers.
• Government must pump in more resources into the education sector to recruit at least 10,000 teachers per year.
National Action for Quality Education in Zambia (NAQEZ) says the recruitment of 1, 200 teachers is not enough to meet the teacher pupil ratio in the country.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, NAQEZ Chief Executive Officer Aaron Chansa said the Organization is not happy with the number of teachers that have been recruited as it is less than that of unemployed teachers.
Mr. Chansa stated that currently, the country has a deficit of more than 58, 000 unemployed teachers which is supposed to be met.
He however expressed confidence that the new Government will pump in more resources into the education sector to recruit at least 10,000 teachers per year.
“After failing to recruit teachers for the past two years and having more than 58, 000 unemployed teachers, it is very sad to see the Teaching Council of Zambia only employing 1200 new teachers. This number is extremely insignificant and almost inconsequential,” Mr. Chansa said.
Mr Chansa explained at the moment when the Ministry of Education is losing more than 6500 Teachers per year due to deaths, retirements and resignations, celebrating this recruitment would be insensitive to the serious shortages of teachers in the country.
“The sector requires more than 45,000 teachers, recruiting 1,200 cannot be good by any measure. Going forward, the Ministry will require to have at least 10,000 new teachers per year,” he added.
Mr. Chansa further stated that the latest recruitment will insignificantly improve the acute pupil-teacher ratios that are obtaining in most schools in the country as this exercise has left more than 56,000 unemployed teachers more dejected, disoriented and frustrated.
On Tuesday, the Teaching Council of Zambia announced the recruitment of 1,200 teachers across the country.