Syakalima calls for reconciliation in teaching service
ZANIS-Minister of Education, DOUGLAS SYAKALIMA says there are over 4 thousand cases of teachers, who were allegedly victimized during the run up to the 2021 General elections around the country.
And Mr. SYAKALIMA has directed provincial and district administrations to start working on resolving cases of teachers who were allegedly victimized during the run up to the 2021 general elections.
The Minister says there was too much hate in the country during the run up to the general elections saying there is need for healing and reconciliation and the process starts now.
Speaking in Chinsali this morning when he called on Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary HENRY MUKUNGULE, Mr SYAKALIMA said 2022 is a year for healing and reconciliation.
He said there were alot of people that were hurt and victimized by the establishment in their course of duty prior to the 2021 general elections.
Mr SYAKALIMA said there over 4 thousand teachers, who were victims of hate and need healing saying the healing process starts now with the leaders in respective institutions leading the process.
He said headquarters in Lusaka cannot deal with all the cases and appealed to the local administration to see how best they can start handling the matters without waiting for his office.
The Minister appealed to the office of the Provincial Permanent Secretaries, Provincial Education Officer -PEO- and District Education Board Secretaries to help in the healing process.
Mr. SYAKALIMA said as the country goes through the process of healing, the President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA should be used as a mirror because he was equally a victim of hate but has decided to forgive and forget.
Earlier, Mr. MUKUNGULE appealed to Mr. SYAKALIMA to quickly find a solution to the teachers who were allegedly victimized during the run up to the general election.
He said some teachers were allegedly transferred and punished on tribal grounds and others for allegedly being sympathizers of a political party.
Mr. MUKUNGULE said some of the teachers who were punished have stayed for over 15 months without working but have been receiving their salaries.
And Mr. SYAKALIMA said the Ministry will explore more and engage relevant authorities in the proposal to turn Chama South Boarding Secondary School into a teacher’s training college.
The Minister was responding to a request from the Muchinga Provincial administration for the Ministry of Education to consider establishing a teacher’s training college in the province.
Provincial Education Officer, ALLAN KAOMA said Chama South boarding Secondary School with a One thousand pupil capacity for a teacher’s training college because currently it is underutilized due to its location.
Dr. KAOMA said currently the school with a 1000 pupil capacity, only has 108 pupils in school.
Mr. SYAKALIMA is in Muchinga Province for a continued familiarization of school infrastructure and holding of meetings with teachers.