Sne Masuku
Sne Masuku
The Department of Education has still not paid allowances to teachers deployed in rural areas nine months after promising to do so.
National Teachers Union (Natu) spokesman Allen Thompson said the department had failed to act on its promise since January.
He said the rural allowance was gazetted at the beginning of the year.
The allowance, he said, was introduced to help teachers deployed in the rural areas, at quintile 1 and 2 schools, and at mostly no-fee schools around the country.
Some teachers in schools in small towns and reserves were also suppose to benefit. The allowance was also aimed at attracting teachers to schools in remote areas.
Thompson said the delays to pay had impacted on teaching and learning at these schools.
"Qualified teachers, especially those with scarce skills, are now moving to urban areas because there is absolutely nothing that attracts them to the rural schools.
"They need the allowance to boost their low salaries."
Thompson said KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo had the highest number of teachers deployed to the rural areas.
"Fifty percent of the schools in these two provinces are situated in rural areas."
Teachers still not paid their allowances
Sne Masuku
Sne Masuku
The Department of Education has still not paid allowances to teachers deployed in rural areas nine months after promising to do so.
National Teachers Union (Natu) spokesman Allen Thompson said the department had failed to act on its promise since January.
He said the rural allowance was gazetted at the beginning of the year.
The allowance, he said, was introduced to help teachers deployed in the rural areas, at quintile 1 and 2 schools, and at mostly no-fee schools around the country.
Some teachers in schools in small towns and reserves were also suppose to benefit. The allowance was also aimed at attracting teachers to schools in remote areas.
Thompson said the delays to pay had impacted on teaching and learning at these schools.
"Qualified teachers, especially those with scarce skills, are now moving to urban areas because there is absolutely nothing that attracts them to the rural schools.
"They need the allowance to boost their low salaries."
Thompson said KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo had the highest number of teachers deployed to the rural areas.
"Fifty percent of the schools in these two provinces are situated in rural areas."
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