The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) wants post provision norms and the model used to allocate teachers to schools scrapped.
The union wants it replaced with one that would see more teachers employed.
This emerged at a public meeting at the Mthatha Town Hall yesterday.
The union said under the current system, teachers were allocated to schools based on the number of pupils registered.
Sadtu instead wants teachers allocated to schools based on the number of subjects offered.
This, they argue, would improve pass results as teachers would not be overworked.
The union wants a system to improve the pupil-teacher ratio and says the current one is “inefficient and anti-revolutionary”.
About 400 members picketed in front of the Mthatha education district offices.
Sadtu provincial task team facilitator Thabile Kunene, addressing the meeting, said:
“This model is not assisting our schools and it must be changed because it only benefits the former model C and private schools.
“The department is still continuing perpetuating imbalances of the past and as a revolutionary trade union, we cannot allow that.”
Kunene said to ensure that teaching would not be disrupted, the union only pulled one teacher – a site steward – out of each school to be part of the pickets throughout the province yesterday.
The pickets were only a building block to a bigger campaign, he said, adding the Sadtu national executive committee would mull what action to take when it meets on June 1 and 2.
He also complained that nutrition money was not being deposited to schools, saying pupils were starving in schools as a result.
“I saw in Limpopo that they were using milk to put out fires when the schools were set alight.
“In other provinces, learners eat breakfast before attending classes – not in this province,” he said.
While highlighting that issues raised by Port Elizabeth Northern Areas parents were genuine when they closed down more than 20 schools earlier this year, Kunene said the education department treated former Transkei schools like a stepchild.
“We are presiding over an ailing education system.
“Teachers are only taken to the Northern Areas in Port Elizabeth because they can close down schools while this side of the Kei we don’t have schools,” he charged.
Mthatha education district director Temba Dyasi said he would elevate the issues to the provincial office. — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za
Sadtu calls for new systems
The union wants it replaced with one that would see more teachers employed.
This emerged at a public meeting at the Mthatha Town Hall yesterday.
The union said under the current system, teachers were allocated to schools based on the number of pupils registered.
Sadtu instead wants teachers allocated to schools based on the number of subjects offered.
This, they argue, would improve pass results as teachers would not be overworked.
The union wants a system to improve the pupil-teacher ratio and says the current one is “inefficient and anti-revolutionary”.
About 400 members picketed in front of the Mthatha education district offices.
Sadtu provincial task team facilitator Thabile Kunene, addressing the meeting, said:
“This model is not assisting our schools and it must be changed because it only benefits the former model C and private schools.
“The department is still continuing perpetuating imbalances of the past and as a revolutionary trade union, we cannot allow that.”
Kunene said to ensure that teaching would not be disrupted, the union only pulled one teacher – a site steward – out of each school to be part of the pickets throughout the province yesterday.
The pickets were only a building block to a bigger campaign, he said, adding the Sadtu national executive committee would mull what action to take when it meets on June 1 and 2.
He also complained that nutrition money was not being deposited to schools, saying pupils were starving in schools as a result.
“I saw in Limpopo that they were using milk to put out fires when the schools were set alight.
“In other provinces, learners eat breakfast before attending classes – not in this province,” he said.
While highlighting that issues raised by Port Elizabeth Northern Areas parents were genuine when they closed down more than 20 schools earlier this year, Kunene said the education department treated former Transkei schools like a stepchild.
“We are presiding over an ailing education system.
“Teachers are only taken to the Northern Areas in Port Elizabeth because they can close down schools while this side of the Kei we don’t have schools,” he charged.
Mthatha education district director Temba Dyasi said he would elevate the issues to the provincial office. — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za
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