28 Jul 2024

Ministry of Education and Skills Development continues to reprioritise its budget to ensure timely payments of temporary teachers.

Responding to a Parliamentary question on Thursday, the Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Aubrey Lesaso said the ministry spent around P27 million on monthly basis for payment of temporary teachers hence around P324 million required for the whole year. Sometimes, he noted, the ministry experienced shortage of funds.

The assistant minister highlighted that the 2023/2024 temporary teachers budget of P93 million was approved, adding that the amount had since proven to be insufficient.

Mr Lesaso explained that due to the nature of terms of temporary employment of being paid on the last day of the month, temporary teachers were subjected to delays in payment of salaries.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that the ministry currently had 3 708 temporary teachers across Botswana with 1 186 in the Central region, 531 in North West and South regions respectively.

He said the total number of vacancies nationally was 1 101, out of which 674 vacancies had been appointed for and awaiting assumption of duty by the teachers.

“The remaining 427 are at various stages of recruitment and are expected to be filed by the end of term three,” said Mr Lesaso.

Member of Parliament for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile had asked for an update on temporary teaching programme as well as the number of temporary teachers and their concentration per region.

MP Kekgonegile also wanted to know the total number of vacancies nationally and target financial year of filling the posts.

He further wanted to know the 2023/ 2024 budget for temporary teachers as well as reasons as to why workers were always paid late and mitigation strategies in place to correct the anomaly. Ends