Each teacher should work for 22 hours per week in a class of 45

The 'Report of the Taskforce on Secondary School Fees 2014' proposes enforcement of a policy requiring that no class has more than 45 students. It also recommends that each school should only have a maximum of three streams per class.

The internationally recommended class size is 40 students per teacher.

The team proposes that secondary school teachers should handle a minimum of 32 lessons of 40 minutes per week. This would translate to some 22 hours per week in line with the proposed TSC staffing norms, says the report. "TSC should allocate teachers on the basis of enrollment and curriculum being offered in a school," reads the report.

Figures from Teachers Service Commission (TSC) indicate the current total number of teachers stands at 288,000, with a deficit of some 90,000. Only 5,000 have been recruited under the current financial year. Teachers' unions have opposed recruitment of teachers on temporary basis. But the report now says all teachers joining the teaching service should first be engaged as interns by TSC for one year, after which they will be engaged permanently based on their performance.

TSC has been asked to conduct a thorough audit of its current staff and ensure all teachers on Government payroll are effectively utilised.

The education task force report also recommends a comprehensive review and implementation of teachers staffing norms to ensure efficiency of the existing human resource.

It is, however, quiet on the earlier proposal that teachers be shared across schools to bridge the widening gap. It also says an exhaustive balancing exercise should be done on the basis of enrollment and curriculum based establishment.

There has been a major outcry over inadequate utilisation of teachers, with some education stakeholders calling for a proper spread of teachers across schools. 

NATIONAL COHESION

The report says this will ensure equitable distribution of teachers across the regions. "Develop a clear policy of deployment of teachers to eliminate cases of posting teachers in their home districts and discourage meritocracy," reads the report.

The report says posting teachers away from their home districts has great potential of enhancing national cohesion and integration; improve time on task and better achievement of education goals.

The fees review team also proposes that promotion of teachers should be based on their experience and performance in academic roles. It says teachers' ability in management of school resources, willingness to undergo professional development courses and their ability in cost reduction in management of schools should also earn them promotions.

The report also says TSC should absorb qualified Board of Management teachers upon completion of their two years probation. And on the support staffs, the team proposes that 'essential non teaching staff be employed on permanent and pensionable basis.'

The report also proposes an effective system for selection and training of school principals, their deputies, senior teachers and heads of departments.