Yumbe teachers face disciplinary action over rejecting transfers
Some of the teachers check the transfer list in Yumbe District in February. PHOTO | ROBERT ELEMA.
What you need to know:
- The whereabouts of the transferred teachers are not known because they are neither in their old workstations nor their new workstations.
The recent transfers for the primary teachers in the Yumbe District have left huge staffing gaps in some of the schools in the area due to some of them refusing to shift to new workplaces.
In February this year, the Yumbe District Local Government transferred over 330 classroom teachers and the head teachers to improve the performance in the schools.
Head teachers who were affected by the reorganization exercise reported to their new workstations without any resistance but some of the classroom teachers are still resisting to move.
The whereabouts of the transferred teachers are not known because they are neither in their old workstations nor their new workstations.
Speaking to the Monitor on Friday, Mr Robert Angoliga, the head teacher of Kumia Primary School in Odravu Sub-County said the school has only four teachers managing seven classes.
"The school has an enrollment of 724 learners but this number is being managed by only four teachers including me. Two teachers were taken from us but were replaced with one teacher who has not reported yet,” he said.
"Three of the teachers did not attend the validation exercise last year and their names are not on the payroll. To make it worse, we do not have a female teacher to manage the issue of girls," he added.
Ineffective teaching
Mr Angoliga said on Friday that there is no effective teaching and learning taking place in the school and when some teachers are absent, learners are always loitering around.
The situation is not different from Kilaji Primary School located in Kerwa sub-county near Kei Forest Reserve.
Mr Robert Atama, the head teacher says there are only four teachers left in the school including himself.
"They took three teachers from us and replaced them with two, but none has reported to work. Our enrollment is 682 learners from P1-P7. The four teachers rotate in all the classes. Some subjects are not being taught due to lack of manpower, especially Mathematics and Science," he said.
Mr Amin Lega, one of the transferred teachers said the transfer committee made blunders in the process.
"Transfers were done after the schools had opened for first term meaning we were not prepared at all for new workstations. This is where the confusion is coming from," he said.
Another teacher who preferred anonymity for fear of reprisal said he was positive about the transfer but wanted to be posted to the same school with his wife.
"It is a right for couples who are teachers to be in the same school and I lodged a complaint regarding that but I have since been warned to stop following that matter," he said.
Disciplinary action
Mr Moses Chuna Kapolon, the Yumbe Chief Administrative Officer, said: "It is indiscipline for any teacher not to report to their stations. Once I get a formal written report from those head teachers, I will take disciplinary action on them."
