Education ministry has until mid-November
Student teachers and teachers have vowed to take drastic action against the education ministry if the vacancy bulletin is not released by mid-November.
This is despite the minister, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, announcing last week that the vacancy bulletin will be released end of October.
The over 200 student teachers, mostly from the University of Namibia's Khomasdal campus and full-time teachers, made the vow during a peaceful demonstration in front of the ministry's head office on Tuesday.
The demonstrators were received by the ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Charles Kabajani. They, however refused to hand over their petition to him and demanded to see permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp, but also refused to hand it over to her.
They demanded that Hanse-Himarwa receive the petition and when she did not show up, read it out loud to the media.
Speaking to members of the media thereafter, Student Representative Council member for academic affairs, Ruth Mweendeleli expressed concern that final-year students had not yet been able to apply for any teaching positions because the vacancy bulletin is delayed. She said students “have been waiting for too long and are tired of waiting”, adding that they fear they will “end up on the streets with their degrees”.
“We are hoping this demonstration will sensitise the minister to release the bulletin as soon as possible,” she said.
In the petition, they also demanded that teachers who applied for promotional posts be appointed as a matter of urgency.
“The ministry is creating conditions where these teachers have to run departments or schools without proper and timeous compensation and it is not fair,” the petition read.
NAMPA
This is despite the minister, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, announcing last week that the vacancy bulletin will be released end of October.
The over 200 student teachers, mostly from the University of Namibia's Khomasdal campus and full-time teachers, made the vow during a peaceful demonstration in front of the ministry's head office on Tuesday.
The demonstrators were received by the ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Charles Kabajani. They, however refused to hand over their petition to him and demanded to see permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp, but also refused to hand it over to her.
They demanded that Hanse-Himarwa receive the petition and when she did not show up, read it out loud to the media.
Speaking to members of the media thereafter, Student Representative Council member for academic affairs, Ruth Mweendeleli expressed concern that final-year students had not yet been able to apply for any teaching positions because the vacancy bulletin is delayed. She said students “have been waiting for too long and are tired of waiting”, adding that they fear they will “end up on the streets with their degrees”.
“We are hoping this demonstration will sensitise the minister to release the bulletin as soon as possible,” she said.
In the petition, they also demanded that teachers who applied for promotional posts be appointed as a matter of urgency.
“The ministry is creating conditions where these teachers have to run departments or schools without proper and timeous compensation and it is not fair,” the petition read.
NAMPA
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article