By Esnart Chingwalu

Teachers under Initial Primary Teacher Training (IPTE) 14 program have threatened to hold national demonstrations if government fails to employ them.

The threat comes as recruitment of IPTE 14 teachers as axillaries is underway in the country to cater for congestions in the primary schools due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to YFM Online, Rodney Sinyenga, a representative of IPTE 14 teachers, said they are eager to hear from government to explain to them the criteria that they are using to recruit about 40 teachers only under their phase out of about 4499 IPTE 14 graduates.

According to Sinyenga they are still waiting for government response on the matter otherwise they are ready to hold national demonstration if government shows a delays to their concerns.

“We are still waiting for government’s feedback on the concerns that we addressed to them and we should take the matter to the street if they fail to answer us in time,” said Sinyenga.

He also said IPTE 14 teachers are encountering a lot of problems as they are waiting for government to employ them fully.

“Government’s silence to employ us is causing us to feel unmotivated to the skills and knowledge that we got from school, we therefore pleaded with government to help us,” said Sinyenga.

Government is yet to employ about 3,000 IPTE 13 teachers who are currently working as auxiliary teachers.

A total of 4,499 teachers under IPTE 14 who graduated two years ago are just staying at home.