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Following an unexpected termination of all temporary teachers’ contracts by the EC Education Department two months ago, the National Education Minister Angie Motshekga declared the move as far from reality.

Speaking in Butterworth on Friday, Minister Motshekga deemed the termination of temporary teacher contracts as nothing short of “immoral” decision.

“The termination of temporary teachers’ contracts is like running a shop without the shop-keeper and that is completely immoral”- she said.

As for the bungled station delivery to schools on time by the provincial education, Motshekga compared the action to a “spaza with no stock to sell”.

“The shortage is like going to a spaza shop with neither a shop-keeper nor stock to sell, and this is not a unique problem to the Eastern Cape except for the fact that the province has allowed it to go on to a state of being uncontrollable”- she said.

Motshekga went on to say that the current turn of events within the provincial education sector have not been unexpected.

 “An alarm into this [maladministrative] state at which the [Eastern Cape] provincial education is currently facing was set off years ago and with the way things stand, it has finally caught up with us”- she said.

Amongst the main challenges facing the department has been the issue of what is termed as “double parked educators”, some of which were either under qualified or misplaced which are amongst the problems that have contributed to the department getting a disclaimer from the auditor general. 

 Due to financial constraints, the ECDoE recently terminated the jobs of 6500 temporary teachers in its attempt to recover some of its funds.

However, following, a court appeal by the teacher unions, the department was instructed to re-instate all the teachers with full pay, but Motshekga promised to re-instate only 2000 teachers.

 “By Monday 6 March 2010, at least 2000 teachers will be back at work”- she said and added that a circular stating the decision would be issued on the same day.

As the national department takes over the administration of the department, Minister Motshekga allayed doubts over the role that will be assumed by the provincial department’s leadership.

She said a close relationship with the department heads will be established “to protect the integrity of education through a national office’s instructions on what has to go on.

Amongst the changes brought by the national education office, has been the removal of the scholar transport programme from the EC Education Department to Department of Transport.

A decision Motshekga said would afford the provincial education department room “to focus on its core business of teaching and learning”.

“We can’t afford to deny our young people their right to better education”- she said.

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Posted by Anne - 19:28 on 23 March 2011

@ noni
No pay that's what!

Posted by noni - 03:46 on 15 March 2011

We hv returned to work, now what?

Posted by Sandra Hlathi - 07:07 on 10 March 2011

What is it with EC Education and not pitching up for interviews? It's an embarrassment really to the whole department everytime a show presenter goes" we are still waiting for so and so from the department of education and we will keep trying them if we can find them".
I mean really people, you don't need this self-destructive tendency. It's doing your department any good.

Posted by Nyozo - 17:42 on 09 March 2011

I wonder when this is going to take place. I am a qualified mathematics and physical sciences teacher and i have sitting at home for the last 4weeks. Can the department please unveil the creteria they are going to use for rehiring the 2000 teachers..

Posted by nana - 16:51 on 09 March 2011

the department of education is confused in my opinion. why and how thus maladministration and misappropriation of funds concern temporary educators who only hold chalk and dusters in the classrooms. i believe the teachers are 'victims of circumstance' who are being used as sacrificial lambs to atone for the sins of corrupt administrators.
lets wait and see how the department in their quest to achieve financial excellence maintain their core objective of delivering quality education to all.

Posted by KEJAY - 21:31 on 08 March 2011

We are all awaiting to hear from the department the call for resuming duties as per the direction from the High Court and from the National minister. But till date we understand from our district offices that no direction has reached yet from the DoE Bisho or National. How long more we have to wait?!!!

Posted by education supporter - 07:52 on 08 March 2011

The intervention by minister is long overdue and I hope that this decision will be a step towards a better, more functional and efficient department.

Posted by ZETHU - 19:57 on 07 March 2011

What criteria is the minister going to use to segregate 2000 from the so called 6500? This is highly unfair since the department is bullying and manipulating teachers as if as they are unprofessionals.
Why do you employ someone and later expell the person as if as the person was strandered and begged you for job. The department has a task to be apologetic to all educators who have been expelled especially the FOREIGNERS. " TERMINATION OF ALL FOREIGN EDUCATORS" This phrase by the department in this global world is an eye saw. Please leaders let us be accommodative and make sure our fellow Africans for that matter are not highly discriminated.