Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Friday released the ministerial task team (MTT) report on its investigation into allegations of an SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) bribery and corruption racket selling posts for teachers in schools.

Motshekga set up the task team following allegations in the media in 2014 that some members of teacher unions and department officials were involved in illegal activities involving the selling of educator posts. A total of 81 cases were investigated, 38 of which provided grounds for reasonable suspicion or wrongdoing, the department said in a statement on Saturday.

“Investigations into most of these have not been concluded and an extension of the forensic part of this report has been granted. The forensic part of the whole investigation will be completed in August 2016, after which, the necessary remedial action will be instituted,” it said.

The report highlighted a lack of consistency and understanding by school governing body members regarding appointment systems and procedures. These problems required the department to reform laws and regulations regarding appointments in the basic education sector.

“There are allegations and specific recommendations about a number of identified individuals, who it is alleged, participated in one or other form of corruption or selling of posts.”

The report contained findings that arose from the work of the investigating team as well as recommendations.

The key findings were that there was a need to strengthen accountability in education, with a special emphasis on short-term measures, by ensuring that the department took control as an employer of appointing the most suitable teachers in terms of qualifications, skills, attributes, and ability.

The department should do this by establishing interviewing and appointment panels that were independent, that would be vetted regularly, and that would undergo training on appointment procedures and requirements for posts in education.

The changes to appointment procedures, required large-scale advocacy of parent and school communities so that everyone was informed of the changes, and the department should protect the integrity of the appointment procedures by setting up a dedicated call-centre, where any irregular activities could be reported with a short-term turnaround response.

A proposed legislative amendment, which was still in the process of being finalised, dealt with a number of issues emanating from the report to review education legislation.

Among other things, the amendment would contain a proposal that any appointment, promotion, or transfer would be the responsibility of the heads of provincial education departments, with an initial focus on promotional posts on post levels two to four.

“The amendment will furthermore propose that the minister be empowered to make regulations to prescribe the manner in which this and employment practices in general will be carried out. This may include the composition of interviewing panels, vetting of panel members, and a number of other matters which could prevent the practices of selling of posts.

“The minister has paid tribute to the task team members for undertaking such a delicate task and doing it without fear or favour. The recommendations of the MTT will be carefully considered and implemented to ensure that the system is strengthened for a better quality education,” the department said.