Times Of Swaziland: WHY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION?

WHY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION?
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The Editor on 22/02/2018 00:47:00


Sir,
When Ngwane Park Teachers College started the Early Childhood Education (ECE)
programme, I was a bit sceptical but having come across some of their products
after graduating with diplomas, I salute the principal of that college for work
well done.
The products from the ECE programme have been well prepared for the job. From my
experience these teachers can handle all the lower grades in primary schools.
They are better equipped because before you are admitted for the programme an
applicant needs three credits plus three passes before admission. Their training
is very consistent; throughout the holidays they are accommodated at the college
and attend lectures religiously. When schools are in session they go on
weekends. They are also taught by qualified teachers who are already teaching in
the mainstream.
It, therefore, beats my imagination why some of these ECE teachers are still not
employed by the Ministry of Education, yet some of the teachers from CIT, Amadi
and Workers College have found their way into government schools. I do not
undermine these schools but my only beef with them is that they do not screen
applicants well. Most of them do not have the three credits and the three passes
as required for the ECE programme at Ngwane Teachers College.
My question therefore is: How do these people find their way into government
schools when the diploma holders for the ECE are still languishing at home?
Under the above circumstances, which of these two groups need to be employed
first by the ministry if they are there to see the uplifting of the standard of
education in the country?
I remember when the ministry started employing some of these Amadi products but
later on found that they were not as capable as they thought and stopped
engaging them, but what has changed now? The effect of this kind of move will
not be felt immediately but after a period of five years. After sometime we will
be feeling the disaster that has been caused by the ministry by employing
ill-prepared teachers to teach our children.
Come on ministry, employ the graduates prepared for the ECE programme first
before considering those from other so called training institutions, please.
Concerned Educationist