By Ncaba Ntshakala
The Ministry of Education and Training has witnessed immense improvement from previous years, as contract teachers whose contracts ended in December have been called by the Ministry of Education and Training to collect their new contracts.
The teachers will soon be signing their contracts which will ensure they resume their duties on the official school opening day, January 28.
This is a considerable shift from past years when contract renewals would often take months, leaving teachers without jobs and learners without instructors for almost an entire first term.
The Ministry’s move to expedite the process has been widely lauded by educators and stakeholders in the education sector.
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Previously, contract teachers would wait until March to sign their contracts, creating disruptions in learning and negatively impacting school operations.
The delays forced students to remain idle, which hindered their academic progress, causing a backlog in covering syllabi.
During a recent meeting with school headteachers, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) assured principals that contract renewals would be handled promptly this year.
The commission has now followed through on its commitment, with TSC Executive Secretary Nhlanhla Dlamini confirming that contracts will be renewed by the end of last week.
Dlamini acknowledged that past delays were due to oversight but assured stakeholders that things would change moving forward.
“We recognize that the delay in contract renewals had a negative impact on teaching in schools,” he said. “However, this year, we have been granted the authority to renew contracts earlier, and teachers will sign according to the needs of each school.”
Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo had earlier called on the TSC to provide assurance that the six-month contract gaps would no longer occur.
In response, Dlamini emphasized that while contract renewals were not entirely within their control, the commission had received approval from the Ministry of Public Service to expedite the process.
As teachers are preparing to sign their contracts this week, many have expressed relief and optimism about the change. Ngcebo Hlophe, a teacher from Mkhuzweni High School, welcomed the move, stating, “This is a huge relief for us.
In previous years, teachers faced uncertainty, and it was stressful not knowing when we would resume teaching.
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We truly applaud the swift response from the Ministry and the Teaching Service Commission.”
Another teacher, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared similar sentiments.
“The Ministry has finally addressed our concerns. We can now start the year on time and focus on our students without disruptions,” the teacher noted.
“This is commendable from the Ministry, and we wish that it continues like this. If it’s like this, education will not be impacted at all.”
Gugu Simelane, a teacher from one of the schools in Nhlangano noted the positive impact the early renewals would have on students.
“Learners were the most affected by the delays in previous years. Starting on time will help us cover the syllabus effectively and ensure better academic performance.”
Moreover, Thandokuhle Khoza who is a teacher in one of the schools in Siteki expressed gratitude to the Ministry, saying, “We appreciate this development.
It shows that our voices were heard, and it gives us confidence in the system moving forward.”
