Times Of Swaziland: TEACHERS SHORTAGE: ONLINE LEARNING FOR MOST SCHOOLS

TEACHERS SHORTAGE: ONLINE LEARNING FOR MOST SCHOOLS
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Sithembile Hlatshwayo and Vuyile Dlamini on 29/03/2021 15:42:00


MBABANE – Most schools will fully-engage in online learning, which might be a
challenge though with the shortage of teachers.
The non-hiring of teachers by government will result in a double load for the
available teachers. According to Eswatini Principals Association President
Welcome Mhlanga, they were hoping to prepare a timetable to be followed by
pupils who will be at home but there will be implications due to the glaring
shortage of teachers. He said the shortage of teachers would result in schools
reopening in a state of confusion. Mhlanga said most pupils would find
themselves without teachers. He said if the challenge of teachers was not
addressed, the educators would find themselves teaching pupils present at school
and preparing online learning for those who would be sitting at home, hence the
work would be doubled.
Classes
Mhlanga stated that classes were divided in order to follow the COVID-19
protocols, meaning that the other class would not have an instructor due to the
shortage of teachers. “The shortage is very serious and has been raised with
the Ministry of Education and Training through the right platforms.” He
advised head teachers to observe what happens in the schools and compile a
report in order to submit something substantial to the ministry. He said they
declared the vacant posts and the ministry was aware of them. He stated that the
issue was that the central government standardised the issue of hiring civil
servants yet with schools it was completely different. “Even if the teachers
wanted to teach the pupils at school, the rotation is affected and it will be
difficult for them as they will be having more work.” Mhlanga said other
teachers were tutoring on national radio and were recording lessons for pupils.
He also said government needed to consider hiring teachers.
St Mark’s Mathematics Head of Department Gugu Nhlabatsi said the issue of
teachers was a challenge. Nhlabatsi said they were definitely challenged by the
shortage of teachers following the promotion of their deputy to another school
and they were seeking a replacement together with several temporary teachers
whose contracts had not been renewed. However, she stated that the school had
made an arrangement and some of the contract teachers had volunteered to come.