Parliamentary committee on Education requests government to recruit teachers

Parliamentary committee on Education, Science and Technology has requested government to release 20 billion kwacha for the recruitment of teachers in both primary and secondary schools in the country.

The call has been made as current research indicates that the country has a deficit of about 82 thousand teachers to meet the desired teacher-pupil ratio.

In an interview with radio Islam, Chairperson of the committee, Brainex Kaisi said the money will see the recruitment of 11 thousand teachers.

He said with the current situation, it is risky for schools to operate amid covid-19 pandemic hence the request.

“you should know that with covid-19 students are seating at a distance which mean so many classrooms have been created but the same teachers, and at the same time student enrollment is creasing in both primary and secondary school which means that every year we need teachers. As such there is a huge shortage of teachers as you might have heard from certain quarters,” said Kaisi.

Commenting on the IPTE 13 teachers who this week petitioned government over their employment, Kaisi said will soon summon ministries of education and finance to resolve the matter.