Pretoria - An investigation has found that teaching positions are being sold in provinces across South Africa, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Thursday.
“In our view, the (preliminary) report does confirm that there is corruption and undue influence in the appointment of teachers and school principals. It also confirms that there are weaknesses in the system,” Motshekga told reporters in Pretoria.
“The report also confirms that the authority of the state and powers of certain stakeholders in the appointment process would have to be reviewed.”
She said the report indicates that government systems have created a situation which allowed “an exploitation of the system” which compromised proper appointments in critical posts such as school principals.
“This has undermined government’s ability to deliver on it’s priority which is education, by allowing unions to have a strangle hold on government, whereby they call the shots,” said Motshekga.
The task team commenced its work in September 2014 following media reports alleging that teacher unions and education officials were involved on selling of teaching posts.
African News Agency