Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has threatened to take the Department of Basic Education to the Public Protector for allegedly prioritising the hiring of Funza Lushaka Bursary scheme beneficiaries for teaching posts.
The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme is a programme to support teaching studies and available to qualified students to complete a teaching degree.
Makaneta lambasted the DBE over the alleged bias in the appointments saying it was unlawful.
“There are graduates who studied under difficult conditions without funding. Others studied junior degrees and went further to do a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). They too should be appointed and not just those who were funded by Funza Lushaka. It is unlawful to prioritise one group of graduates over the other,” Makaneta said.
He said he would be lodging a complaint with the public protector over the alleged unfair treatment of education graduates.
“As activists in the terrain of education, we are often inundated with many complaints, particularly from PGCE students, saying that they are not given priority when it comes to employment as the focus is on those who studied through Funza Lushaka,” said Makaneta.
However, the DBE has denied the allegations saying there is no discrimination.
Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the issue was two-fold. He said the basic education sector is presently not able to absorb all the graduates with teaching qualifications.
“The higher education sector is producing more teachers than the available posts in the various education departments.
“Also, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education is an acceptable qualification in the system and applicants can get a job with it. The current situation right now is that there are more teachers than the system can accommodate so the frustration makes people feel there is discrimination when it is not the case,” he said.
Mhlanga said the Funza Lushaka is a conditional bursary to meet a specific need. It is awarded to candidates who are willing to comply with the conditions set out.
He said district-based recruitment means the candidates once they graduate must return to the district. While if you are at university every year you apply and your academic performance is considered.
“Every year we do a projection of the number of teachers leaving the system, so the recruitment is based on that study. It is needs-based. The current situation right now is that there are more teachers than the system can accommodate so the frustration makes people feel there is discrimination when it is not the case,” said Mhlanga.
He advised that the areas in need of teachers were mathematics, technology, science and indigenous languages for the foundation phase.