Many trained Kalanga teachers still unemployed: KLCDA

Issued by Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association

The Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA) has received claims, with dismay, that there are relatively low applications for students interested in the teacher training course with specialization in TjiKalanga language — offered by Hillside Teachers College in Bulawayo. 

While it is common knowledge that the low turnout of students in teacher training institutions across the country is not only peculiar to TjiKalanga, we would like to put it on record that the “disappointing” response to an advert flighted by the College recently, illustrates inherent issues that affect TjiKalanga as a historically disadvantaged language struggling to rise from systematic marginalisation since colonial times.  

In the past few years, KLCDA has supported the training of hundreds of Kalanga teachers with the hope that they would be deployed after graduation to teach the language. However, a few of these teachers have been employed by the government. Instead, government authorities are in the habit of deploying non-Kalanga teachers to our local schools, a development that we believe is a chief contributor to increasing apathy amongst students who wish to enrol for teacher training courses. 

We believe that had there been proactive action in employing trained Kalanga teachers by the government, the College would have received a reasonably high number of students wishing to undergo teacher training with specialisation in TjiKalanga.

As an Association whose mandate is to promote and develop Kalanga language and culture, we are appalled by the continued failure of the government to deploy Kalanga teachers within relevant schools.  

While we commend efforts by the broader Kalanga community in the mobilisation of resources to develop TjiKalanga, we believe that the government is constitutionally responsible for supporting the development of TjiKalanga materially, financially or otherwise as it has done to ChiShona and IsiNdebele, the two languages which continue to enjoy linguistic dominance at the expense of other official indigenous languages. 

As we call upon prospective Kalanga students to urgently apply for training at Hillside Teachers College, in response to the advert in question, we urge responsible government authorities, especially the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, to ensure that all trained Kalanga teachers who are currently unemployed are hired and deployed to schools in Kalanga speaking areas.

We also advise government authorities to ensure that teachers are paid decent remuneration as their current plight dissuades would-be teachers from joining the profession. 

For press inquiries please contact the undersigned. 
Divine Dube Head of Publicity WhatsApp: +1 (650) 407-9367Mobile: +263 7 72610726Email: info@kalanga.org