BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
LOBAMBA – Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo has backed calls to extend fixed-term contracts for teachers from two years to five years while they await permanent employment, acknowledging that the current arrangement places many educators at a disadvantage.
Responding to a question from Mayiwane Member of Parliament Sicelo Prince Dlamini in the House of Assembly, Nxumalo said he fully supports the proposal but indicated that budgetary constraints have delayed its implementation.
Dlamini had asked whether the ministry could consider offering teachers five-year contracts instead of renewing their appointments every two years while they wait to be absorbed into permanent positions.
Nxumalo revealed that the proposal had already been discussed within government but had not received the necessary financial support.
“There is a will to do it, but the problem is the budget. As Cabinet, we have been looking at how to address this issue. I would be misleading the House if I said I could implement it immediately,” said Nxumalo.
The minister said he had previously submitted a proposal to extend contract periods, which was referred to the Ministry of Finance for consultation. However, discussions concluded that the current budget could not accommodate the change.
Despite the setback, Nxumalo said he remains committed to pursuing the matter and intends to continue engaging the Ministry of Finance before taking the proposal back to Cabinet.
Kubuta MP Mzwandile Mamba questioned the minister’s explanation, arguing that the financial justification was difficult to understand because teachers’ contracts are already renewed every two years.
He said extending contracts from two years to five years would not necessarily increase government expenditure, as the same teachers are retained through repeated contract renewals.
Gege MP Agrippa Magesi Dlamini also challenged the current arrangement, asking why teachers whose services are continuously required could not simply be appointed on a permanent basis.
In a follow-up question, Mayiwane MP Dlamini asked whether the minister was aware that repeatedly employing teachers on fixed-term contracts despite the ongoing need for their services could be contrary to labour laws.
He further highlighted the hardships faced by contract teachers, saying the arrangement negatively affects their livelihoods. Among the concerns he raised was the lack of maternity leave benefits, claiming that some women are forced to continue working until childbirth because they are not entitled to the same protections enjoyed by permanently employed teachers.
Responding, Nxumalo acknowledged the challenges faced by contract teachers, saying he fully understood their struggles.
He said his close working relationship with teachers had earned him the nickname “Handsome”, but admitted that the slow pace of reforms was making it appear as though he was making promises he could not immediately fulfil.
“I know exactly what contract teachers are going through. I worked at a bank before joining government, and I understand that when someone is employed on contract, they struggle to access loans and other financial opportunities. It becomes difficult for them to progress in life,” he said.
The minister stressed that the conversion of contract teachers to permanent positions was progressing far too slowly because his ministry depends on the allocation of posts by the Ministry of Public Service.
He disclosed that only a limited number of permanent positions are released at a time, making it impossible to absorb all qualifying teachers quickly.
Nxumalo urged Parliament to play a more active role in resolving the matter, saying lawmakers have the authority to push for a lasting solution to the long-standing issue.
“It is high time Parliament showed political will. There will be no manna from heaven to solve this problem. Parliament must help us by taking a firm position on this issue,” he said.
Describing himself as a former trade unionist, the minister said he believes the continued reliance on long-term fixed contracts is unfair and should come to an end.
He lamented that some teachers have spent decades on temporary contracts despite providing essential services in schools, describing the situation as unacceptable and one that requires decisive intervention.
Nxumalo appealed to Members of Parliament to support the ministry by introducing measures that would accelerate the permanent appointment of contract teachers and improve their working conditions.
Speaker of the House Jabulani Mabuza assured the minister that Parliament shares his concerns and supports efforts to find a lasting solution to the challenges facing contract teachers.
