By Deng David Panchol
Jonglei State Ministry of General Education and Instructions has fired two headteachers together with their deputies in two public schools in the state capital, Bor.
The two head teachers and their deputies were fired from Bor A and Bor B primary schools for their failure to ensure that teachers deliver their lessons.
Gabriel Deng Ajak, the Jonglei State Minister of General Education and Instructions, said the two administrators and deputies were not properly managing the two primary schools.
“Teachers in government schools have the tendency of going to teach in private schools and forget to teach learners in public schools. So, this morning [Monday] when I visited the two primary schools, I found three teachers and the rest were not there. So, I fired the headteacher and his deputy in Bor A and Bor B primary schools” said Ajak.
“Teachers come to the school in the morning and sign in the registry and then they return later at 2:00pm to check out leaving the children [learners] at school. This is the reason why learners are deserting the public schools so the managers [headteachers] who are not serious will have to leave the school,” lamented the state education minister.
Ajak also issued a stern warning to the rest of the headteachers of public schools saying those who allow government teachers to go and teach in private schools would also be dismissed.
He added that he was disappointed with such misconduct despite the government’s efforts to improve the living standards of public teachers.
He assured the public of working towards transforming education system in Jonglei, Bor.
“We are not joking with education. Education is the foundation of every nation and if we are not serious today then the next generation will never be skillful, learned and good citizens so why do we have to do that, we have to be serious and as minister of education, I can assure the public that a journey for a serious transformation has just begun” promised Ajak.
“We began this exercise since November last year. We took stoke and number of teachers and all the challenges. We advised them to change but, unfortunately, they seem not to be listening.” he said.
Minister Ajak noted that they are aware that the payment in public schools is lower than those of private schools but he maintained that the “government has been working around the clock to increase the teachers’ salaries” adding “we are still struggling to make that happen”.
He stated that when the new salary scale is implemented “we will pay you (teachers) salaries that are equivalent to that of private schools. As per now money is just in figures waiting for approval” he continued.
Ajak urged public schools’ tutors to be patient as the government works hard to improve on the payment of teachers.
He went on to advise teachers to get back to public schools and deliver lessons to the learners, adding that anyone who will not deliver lessons will be dismissed as well.
In another development, the state ministry of general education and instructions and its partners are embarking on renovating some classrooms that are in bad shape.