LOUIS TRICHARDT - The provincial Department of Education came under severe criticism for repeatedly requesting personal information from educators in the province.

The Vhembe District Office of the Democratic Alliance in a media statement expresses concern about what is termed as unnecessary harassment of educators.

According to the statement, the Department of Education in the province has been requesting educators at least twice a year for the past two years, to submit certified copies of qualifications, copies of marriage certificates, birth certificates of children and proof of children attending tertiary education institutions.

"The DA acknowledges that employers have a right to require employees to forward job-related information. It is, however, strange that this Department, on such a regular basis, requests this information from all its educators.

"Surely, such information should be collected when a new employee is welcomed into the organization and his/her personal files should be updated, but to harass employees with this continued instruction is surely not acceptable."

It is alleged that such documents previously submitted by educators, have never been filed or processed, but stacked in storerooms in circuit offices.

"The question can be asked whether the MEC for Education is informed about this unbearable situation? This type of action creates suspicion and affects the morale of the educators who are already under pressure."