Ndugai opposes govt plan to directly post teachers

Dodoma. The Speaker of the National Assembly has challenged the central government over directly posting newly-employed teachers to schools, a task that normally falls within the mandates of local authorities.

Mr Job Ndugai’s criticism comes just a day after the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Selemani Jafo, announced that over 3,000 new teachers have already been posted to their work stations.

The Speaker spoke against the approach during a Regional Consulting Committee (RCC) on Friday.

He warned that the central government’s decision could cause uneven distribution of teachers.

“Under this arrangement, some of the schools will end up having more teachers compared to those situated in the hard-to-reach areas. In my view, the task should have been performed by the respective councils because they know the situation on the ground,” he argued.

“This is becoming too much, it is impossible that everything should be done by the central government. There are issues that need to be delegated including the postings,” stressed Mr Ndugai.

He cited Banyibanyi Secondary School in Kongwa District, which has never received any science teacher since it was established in 2005, as an example.

“The school doesn’t have any teacher for physics, biology, chemistry or geography,” he added.

Mr Ndugai asked MPs from Dodoma Region to table the matter as a motion when he’s leading parliamentary sessions.

In another development, Mr Ndugai disputed the arrangement of distributing money to groups of small entrepreneurs, saying it was an out-dated approach.

According to him, the money should be issued to individuals who have better business plans that can actually be implemented and bring results.

“The government will be responsible to make a follow-up on how the money is spent, this will help to improve efficiency and productivity,” he urged.

The observation was seconded by Mtera Member of Parliament Livingstone Lusinde and Dodoma Municipal Mayor Prof David Mwamfupe, saying it would improve productivity.

Responding to the raised concerns, Dodoma regional commissioner Binilith Mahenge instructed district executive directors (DEDs) to analyse schools with shortage of teachers and re-distribute those who have been posted to serve in the region.

About the distribution of funds to small groups of entrepreneurs, Dr Mahenge said it was the requirement of the law.

The recruitment of new teachers for primary and secondary school s has been implemented in a bid to fill in the vacancies that resulted from the crackdown early this year on public servants holding fake academic credentials and ghost workers.

In the new allocation, primary schools have received 2,767 teachers while 266 have been posted to secondary schools.

Announcing the recruitment, Mr Jafo said the teachers will have to start reporting to the new work stations between Wednesday, December 27, this year, and January 7, next year.

With the directive, the new teachers will not be allowed to shift from one council to another or region without first securing a permit from PORALG.

By March this year, there was a shortage of 47,151 primary school teachers, while there is a surplus of 7,463 teachers in secondary schools.

Plans had been made to see to it that some teachers in secondary schools were shifted to primary schools.