The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) appointed 509 junior teachers last year, made 627 senior promotions and dismissed 288 teachers, a press release from the commission said.
Some vacancies were unfilled because persons were unwilling to take up teaching assignments in certain areas since housing was not available, and in other instances qualified persons were not living within or in close proximity to the catchment area of the schools.
The release noted that the commission is now commencing the processing of applications for senior promotions for this year.
The disciplinary committee had to recommend dismissals to the TSC regarding persons who either broke the Code of Conduct or who by their behaviour had shown that they would not make good teachers.
Meanwhile, some had to be interdicted from duty because of allegations of carnal knowledge, breach of the circular as regards the administration of corporal punishment, gross indiscipline and sexual misconduct, the release said.
However, the commission said it was mindful that apart from seeing that justice was done, it also had a responsibility to ensure that a welfare function was exercised before it decided to really apply sanctions to a teacher.
In this regard, the commission applauded the work of the schools welfare officers and supervision by some regional education officers which should result in fewer errant teachers being brought for disciplinary action.
The TSC tried to assist teachers in identifying weaknesses while helping them to set standards and uplift themselves, the release stated.
It is for this reason that the commission took seriously the yearly submission of staff appraisal reports which helped in determining the eligibility of the teacher for promotion, or the need to be given the opportunity to correct any shortcoming.
