By CHUSA SICHONE in Mafinga District –
THE problem of ‘ghost’ teachers in Mafinga District has angered a traditional ruler in the area and prompted him to advocate the prioritisation of the locals during the teacher recruitment exercise.
Chief  Mwenechifungwe disclosed that Mafinga District currently had 108 ‘ghost’ teachers, of which 101 who were transferred to the area between April and June 2017 had disappeared.
The chief made the revelation when he met President Edgar Lungu in Mafinga District on Monday.
Chief Mwenechifungwe described the teachers as ghosts as they were secretly transferred to other areas shortly after being deployed to Mafinga District.
“I warned the DEBS (District Education Board Secretary) that we are sick and tired of seeing people being employed in Mafinga, tomorrow they are transferred. They bring them during the day, during the night you find all of them gone, which is very bad,” he said.
Chief Mwenechifungwe said Mafinga District was not short of local people who should be considered once they applied for employment as teachers because he was sure that they would not leave the area.
President Lungu said the Government would use the expertise of Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Jobbicks Kalumba, who once served as DEBS in the area, to work with the Ministry of Education in addressing the problem.
President Lungu said the issue of ghost workers was a big problem and that it was not only in Mafinga District but countrywide.
He satheone of the reasons he had decided to be visiting the districts was to get first hand information on the challenges the areas faced in a bid to finding quick solutions.