Surplus teachers slow to relocate

EASTERN Cape schools battling a debilitating teacher shortage look set for a long wait for the much-needed staff, as less than a quarter of the province's surplus teachers have agreed to move to vacant posts.

This despite a groundbreaking collective agreement being reached between the provincial Education Department and teacher unions.

Signed in February, it seeks to break decades of resistance by the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) to have teachers deemed in excess redeployed to where there are vacancies.

However, a closed bulletin issued by the department in May – in which about 3000 posts were advertised specifically for excess teachers to apply for – saw a mere 630 applications received. At the time, the department said there were 3370 posts, while minutes of a June 5 meeting of the provincial task team set up to implement the various stages of the agreement spoke of 3331 posts.

An analysis of the closed bulletin posts issued by the department earlier this month showed a grand total of 2527 posts, for which the 630 applications were received. - Zandile Mbabela