THE Democratic Alliance has called on the Department of Education in Limpopo to engage with the Home Affairs Department to allow some educators from Zimbabwe to enter the country.
The party said about 400 gateway subject teachers are unable to return to teaching as the country has not opened the borders since they were closed when the country was put on lockdown.
Gateway subjects include mathematics, physical science, economics, agricultural sciences, geography and accounting.
The DA’s provincial leader Jacques Smalle said gateway subjects are considered critical for the country’s development and economic growth.
“These teachers should be allowed to enter the country as a matter of urgency, given their immense contribution to the education of learners in the province and the high demand for their skills,” said Smalle.
Smalle said that in the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams in the province had lower percentages than the national averages of learners that achieved 30% and above in all eleven of the gateway subjects.
The country is still under lockdown level 2, which means borders are still closed.
Schools reopened in August as the Department of Basic Education pushes teachers and learners to complete the 2020 academic year.
(COMPILED BY INSIDE EDUCATION STAFF)
