HUNDREDS of teachers who worked as invigilators during the matric exams last year claim they have not been paid.

The teachers who were deployed to finishing centres include retired teachers.

The centres were set up by the Department of Education to help matric pupils who failed in 2008 to upgrade their symbols ahead of last year's final year-end examinations.

According to the teachers, who wished to remain anonymous, officials from the department had been promising to pay them since last year after they had completed their job.

One of the teachers said the problem also affected those who had worked as chief invigilators at various centres across the province.

"We are sick and tired because all the people who have done something related to the matric exams were paid and we are the only ones who were left out."

Some of the invigilators told Sowetan that they had lost hope because no one, including senior education department officials, has told them when they would be paid.

Last week another group of teachers who work at the Kharigude Adult Education Programme in Bolobedu South and N'wamitwa in Greater Tzaneen came out and lashed the department for failing to pay them for almost the whole of last year.

Kharigude is a programme introduced by the Department of Education to provide basic education to elderly people in order for them to be able cope with the fast-changing world of technological advancement.

They threatened to boycott classes from this month until they are remunerated.

Provincial education department spokesperson Ndo Mangala said the delay was caused by the fact that officials went on holiday before processing the payments.

He assured the teachers that they were working on the problem and called on those affected to remain calm.