By Isaac Zulu
National Democratic Congress leader Saboi Imboela has said that there should be no political interference in the ongoing teacher recruitment exercise.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Revelation, Imboela stated that it is disturbing to learn that UPND officials are submitting lists of their own preferred teacher applicants.
“It is very, very disturbing to hear that the UPND, as a ruling party, is submitting their own lists of preferred applicants in the ongoing teacher recruitment exercise. First and foremost, when the Southern Province minister Honourable Cornelius Mweetwa made that statement, urging the Provincial Education Officer in that region to recall the list of teacher applicants, it was very sad and alarming. And that gave the UPND cadres the impetus to go to the Ministry of Education and make demands that some lists be recalled,” explained Imboela. “There should be no political interference in the teacher recruitment exercise. There should be no political interference in the civil service as much as possible.”
She said that political interference was the order of day during the Patriot Front administration, saying this has been replicated in the UPND administration.
“The UPND is the party in power. And one of the reasons that made the PF become unpopular were things like that where everything had some political interference. And people expected the new dawn government to do things differently. Unfortunately they appear to be the same, if not worse,” said Imboela.
And Imboela urged members of the Teaching Service Commission not to succumb to political interference as they carry out the teacher recruitment exercise.
“So I would like to encourage the people that are mandated to carry out this teacher recruitment exercise not be intimidated. My advice to the Teaching Service Commission is that they should not be intimidated. They should be courageous. They should not fall prey to this political interference,” said Imboela. “I know that some may lose their jobs or fired or something like that. But trust me, when they do the right thing they will keep their jobs because they would have done the right thing.”
