Rubavu district is cited as one of the locations with the highest rate of teachers’ absenteeism in the country, according to the Ministry ofEducation and the district leadership.

It is noted that most teachers attend morning sessions and don’t return for the afternoon.

"We have started taking action against those who don’t teach in the afternoon,” said Rubavu Mayor Sheikh Hassan Bahame.

He said that the district discovered the alarming practice of absenteeism during the evaluation of the performance contracts.

It was reported that the teachers, with the knowledge of the head teachers, ask unqualified relatives or friends to stand in for them during their absence

Bahame added that the district is working with the Sector executive secretaries and other authorities to reprimand teachers who abscond from duty.

The most affected are the over 108 schools offering the 9-year basic education in the area.

The problem is also attributed to long distances teachers have to cover to get to their places of work with only 18 teachers out of 123 in Kyanzarwe sector staying within the sector.

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