DESPITE relocating to Taiwan, about 10 teachers are reportedly still drawing salaries from government.
They have also been paid a hefty amount in back pay in line with the recently revised civil servants’ salaries.
As a result, the ministry of education and training has launched an investigation to identify more teachers still receiving salaries after relocating to other countries abroad.
Principal Secretary Naniki Mnisi disclosed that so far the ministry had been able to identify 10 teachers who relocated to Taiwan but still received their salaries.
She said the ministry would be taking the necessary actions to ensure that such behaviour or activities did not continue, ensuring that the taxpayers are not burdened with ghost payments.
The PS hinted that supervisors and department heads who had been enabling such fraudulent practices would be held accountable.
“We have been alerted to the issue and verifications were carried out. The investigation is still ongoing and so far we have been able to identify 10 cases,” she said.
The PS mentioned that at the moment officials were scrutinising the payroll to identify teachers who were still in the kingdom and those who were not.
She said this would be an ongoing process in order to ensure that people do not receive salaries while living abroad.
Over the past years quite a number of teachers had relocated to countries abroad, like Taiwan, in search of greener pastures.
The exodus contributed to the shortage of skills in some schools, as posts remain vacant for long periods due to some government policies that have made it difficult for entities tasked with recruitment of civil servants to get replacements on time.
READ MORE | Police crackdown on liquor hours, step up festive safety patrols
Mnisi acknowledged the challenges in the civil service and reiterated the ministry’s commitment to address them for optimal performance.
She insisted that appropriate action shall be taken to address the issue of the money that was being paid to people who were no longer teaching in local schools.
She emphasised that schools would not be relegated to a workplace where workers violate rules without fear of punishment or repercussions.
The PS commended current efforts by government aimed at ensuring that all schools have administrators.
ALSO READ | Pastor collapses, dies while preaching
She disclosed that government had given her ministry permission to recruit headteachers and deputy headteachers for schools that had vacant positions.
She said government had given the ministry up until March 31 to fulfil this task.
“We are grateful to government for allowing us to fill the vacant positions and we hope this will assist towards improvement of performance and efficiency,” she said.
An advert has already been placed in the media, inviting qualifying individuals to submit applications for deputy headteacher and headteacher positions available in identified schools.
