‘Jobs-for-cash' report: Legal action will be taken
Loading player...
The Basic Education Department says it will take legal action against those implicated in the so-called ‘jobs-for-cash’ scandal.
The department released its 285 page report into the scandal late on Friday night.
The ministerial task team, established by Minister Angie Motshekga, found 38 of the 81 cases required further investigation or pointed directly to wrongdoing when it came to the appointment of teacher and principal posts.
Education department spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga says education officials worked together with the Department of Justice.
Motshekga set up the task team following reports in 2014 that some members of teacher unions and department officials were involved in illegal activities involving the selling of educator posts.
The report contained findings that arose from the work of the investigating team as well as recommendations.
The key findings were that there was a need to strengthen accountability in education, with a special emphasis on short-term measures, by ensuring that the department took control as an employer of appointing the most suitable teachers in terms of qualifications, skills, attributes, and ability.
The department should do this by establishing interviewing and appointment panels that were independent, that would be vetted regularly, and that would undergo training on appointment procedures and requirements for posts in education.
The changes to appointment procedures, required large-scale advocacy of parent and school communities so that everyone was informed of the changes, and the department should protect the integrity of the appointment procedures by setting up a dedicated call-centre, where any irregular activities could be reported with a short-term turnaround response.
A proposed legislative amendment, which was still in the process of being finalised, dealt with a number of issues emanating from the report to review education legislation.
Among other things, the amendment would contain a proposal that any appointment, promotion, or transfer would be the responsibility of the heads of provincial education departments, with an initial focus on promotional posts on post levels two to four.
The department released its 285 page report into the scandal late on Friday night.
The ministerial task team, established by Minister Angie Motshekga, found 38 of the 81 cases required further investigation or pointed directly to wrongdoing when it came to the appointment of teacher and principal posts.
Education department spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga says education officials worked together with the Department of Justice.
Motshekga set up the task team following reports in 2014 that some members of teacher unions and department officials were involved in illegal activities involving the selling of educator posts.
The report contained findings that arose from the work of the investigating team as well as recommendations.
The key findings were that there was a need to strengthen accountability in education, with a special emphasis on short-term measures, by ensuring that the department took control as an employer of appointing the most suitable teachers in terms of qualifications, skills, attributes, and ability.
The department should do this by establishing interviewing and appointment panels that were independent, that would be vetted regularly, and that would undergo training on appointment procedures and requirements for posts in education.
The changes to appointment procedures, required large-scale advocacy of parent and school communities so that everyone was informed of the changes, and the department should protect the integrity of the appointment procedures by setting up a dedicated call-centre, where any irregular activities could be reported with a short-term turnaround response.
A proposed legislative amendment, which was still in the process of being finalised, dealt with a number of issues emanating from the report to review education legislation.
Among other things, the amendment would contain a proposal that any appointment, promotion, or transfer would be the responsibility of the heads of provincial education departments, with an initial focus on promotional posts on post levels two to four.
