Minister Nalova Lyonga accuses principals of protecting absentee teachers.

The information is contained in a release issued recently by the minister. 

Minister Nalova Lyonga regretted that the phenomenon has taken another level as a result of the fact that many school principals are shielding absentee teachers as a result of the benefits they gain from their being away.

The principals, whom she has described as “unscrupulous,” are enabling the teachers, though absent from their duty posts, to have access to their gains for personal gains.

According to the minister, some of the principals are accepting bribes in exchange for falsifying staff records, allowing teachers who have emigrated to continue receiving their salaries. 

She warned that principals guilty of the practice will now face “severe sanctions,” while announcing surprise inspections to conduct thorough investigations and expose those suspected of involvement.

She emphasised that the practice not only hampers the completion of the school curriculum but also imposes a significant financial burden on the state's resources. 

The fraudulent practices, the minister regretted, represent a betrayal of the education system. 

By turning a blind eye to absenteeism, the principals in question, the member of government regretted, are contributing to the degradation of public education, leaving students without the teachers they need to succeed. 

According to unconfirmed statistics, an estimated 6,000 professionals, including teachers, doctors, and nurses, have emigrated in recent months. 

Many of these professionals are reported to have left for Canada, which has become the preferred destination, due to better job opportunities and living conditions. 

The situation is said to have left the country in a situation where it is struggling to fill key positions in education and healthcare sectors, which are already functioning in a precarious situation. 

Experts say the loss of qualified professionals is hitting public institutions hard, particularly schools that are now short-staffed and unable to function efficiently. 

The teaching domain, they say, is particularly touched as large class sizes, limited resources, and poor infrastructure are common.

The situation is reported to have pushed officials to instruct some airport authorities to prevent teachers from leaving the country. The drastic measure reflects the alarming situation the government finds itself in.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3234 of Thursday September 19, 2024