South African Democratic Teachers' Union(SABC)
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Hopes for a solution to the problems in education in the Eastern Cape education system have suffered a further setback with government and the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) failing to agree on the most fundamental actions to be taken to find a solution.
The issue now has been left to a Task Team consisting of National Ministers and provincial MECs appointed by President Jacob Zuma to reach an agreement. Meanwhile, thousands of learners will continue to suffer with Sadtu's go-slow entering its fourth week on Monday.
Talks between government and unions continue. Sadtu wants the department's superintendent-general, advocate Modidima Mannya, to be fired and charged for instituting various legal actions against the union and individual members of the union. Government rejects this view. Meanwhile, Sadtu leadership is briefing its members on the agreement on the table.Sadtu Provincial Deputy Spokesperson Nolita Mboniswa says: "The ball is in government’s court. We have done everything we could, we are desperate for a solution to the problems facing us and the department. As a union, we are awaiting a response from those structures."
Thousands of pupils have already been affected, losing out on valuable class time
In the meantime, the go-slow continues. Thousands of pupils have already
been affected, losing out on valuable class time. For the past three
weeks, thousands of learners including matrics in mainly townships and
rural schools are only getting two full days of teaching a week.
Education Specialist Ken Alstonn says: "What is unacceptable is
that we had the worst matric results in the country and teachers from
the worst performing schools are on a go slow and that is morally
unacceptable."
Earlier in the week, learners and their parents had hoped that mediation
by Cosatu would end the impasse. Now there seems no end in sight.
