Lecturers at Buffalo City TVET College (BCC) are on a go-slow because, a union says, they are demotivated as a result of the poor pay they receive – and this is having a negative impact on the students’ education.
This was one of the problems that came to the attention of MPs from the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on education when they visited the East London college on Thursday.
The multiparty committee has been on a week-long oversight visit to Eastern Cape tertiary institutions.
They visited King Sabata Dalindyebo TVET College and Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha, Fort Hare University in Alice and BCC.
During the oversight visit, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and the National Health Education and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) complained of their members being poorly paid.
Sadtu representative Lungelwa Grootboom said the low salaries paid to lecturers was negatively affecting the teaching and learning environment. “Lecturers are demotivated as a result of low salaries and this has a direct bearing on their performance.
“As a result the programme of teaching and learning is collapsing and our management and council are aware of these problems,” she said.
This was echoed by the Nehawu branch’s acting chairwoman, Lisolam Nombewu-Gqodo, who also complained the college advertised posts externally without first giving staff an opportunity to apply for them.
College principal Dharamchand Singh said some of the issues raised in the presentations needed to be dealt with urgently.
“The issue of salaries is dealt with by the Department of Higher Education and Training.” he said.
“It is not under the control of the college, but we have raised all of these issues with the department.”
The parliamentarians said they were also told of a need for a syllabus shift, with maritime studies to be promoted above other courses.
This, student representative council (SRC) academic officer Cat Mangope-Moji said, would benefit both students and the government, as the government had been punting the ocean economy as one of the sectors that would be able to get the stagnant economy moving again.
“The institutions should consider phasing out some of the business study programmes that do not speak to the skills demanded at the moment in the country.
“The college must be the first to initiate a discussion about maritime- related studies, considering that the provincial government is planning to invest in the ocean economy,” she said.
The oversight visit was held to assess whether the province’s institutions were ready for the 2018 academic year.
The major focus was on checking their capacity to accommodate an expanded access to education and training after President Jacob Zuma’s announcement of fee-free higher education in December.
Committee chairwoman Connie September said the college had done its best to put proper systems in place for registration.
“It would be an irresponsible government that would pass a policy of fee-free higher education and not make budget provision for that.
“Let’s wait for the State of the Nation address and after that Minister Malusi Gigaba will make budget provisions in his budget speech,” she said.
Singh said the college had a serious problem with a lack of funding for student accommodation.
September and her team will compile a report after their Eastern Cape visit and table it in the National Assembly. — zolilem@dispatch.co.za
Lecturers at college on go-slow over their salaries
This was one of the problems that came to the attention of MPs from the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on education when they visited the East London college on Thursday.
The multiparty committee has been on a week-long oversight visit to Eastern Cape tertiary institutions.
They visited King Sabata Dalindyebo TVET College and Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha, Fort Hare University in Alice and BCC.
During the oversight visit, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and the National Health Education and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) complained of their members being poorly paid.
Sadtu representative Lungelwa Grootboom said the low salaries paid to lecturers was negatively affecting the teaching and learning environment. “Lecturers are demotivated as a result of low salaries and this has a direct bearing on their performance.
“As a result the programme of teaching and learning is collapsing and our management and council are aware of these problems,” she said.
This was echoed by the Nehawu branch’s acting chairwoman, Lisolam Nombewu-Gqodo, who also complained the college advertised posts externally without first giving staff an opportunity to apply for them.
College principal Dharamchand Singh said some of the issues raised in the presentations needed to be dealt with urgently.
“The issue of salaries is dealt with by the Department of Higher Education and Training.” he said.
“It is not under the control of the college, but we have raised all of these issues with the department.”
The parliamentarians said they were also told of a need for a syllabus shift, with maritime studies to be promoted above other courses.
This, student representative council (SRC) academic officer Cat Mangope-Moji said, would benefit both students and the government, as the government had been punting the ocean economy as one of the sectors that would be able to get the stagnant economy moving again.
“The institutions should consider phasing out some of the business study programmes that do not speak to the skills demanded at the moment in the country.
“The college must be the first to initiate a discussion about maritime- related studies, considering that the provincial government is planning to invest in the ocean economy,” she said.
The oversight visit was held to assess whether the province’s institutions were ready for the 2018 academic year.
The major focus was on checking their capacity to accommodate an expanded access to education and training after President Jacob Zuma’s announcement of fee-free higher education in December.
Committee chairwoman Connie September said the college had done its best to put proper systems in place for registration.
“It would be an irresponsible government that would pass a policy of fee-free higher education and not make budget provision for that.
“Let’s wait for the State of the Nation address and after that Minister Malusi Gigaba will make budget provisions in his budget speech,” she said.
Singh said the college had a serious problem with a lack of funding for student accommodation.
September and her team will compile a report after their Eastern Cape visit and table it in the National Assembly. — zolilem@dispatch.co.za
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