A POLITICAL solution to the transfer of excess teachers to other schools has been reached, according to the tripartite alliance – though the main teachers union seemed less certain.
The Daily Dispatch spoke to ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane yesterday following an interview with MEC Mandla Makupula, who is a central executive committee member of the provincial SACP, about the department’s plan to deal with the teacher shortage crisis.
The alliance of the ANC, SACP and Cosatu met last week as part of a political oversight to resolve the impasse.
“We said as allies that the movement of teachers must happen. Temporary teachers in the system who have not yet been brought back must be used to fill jobs at senior secondary schools where it seems there are not enough excess teachers to fill posts.”
He said the agreement meant that the technical oversight team would deal with the technicalities around benefits of the teachers being transferred to other schools.
A plan had already been tabled at the bargaining chamber by the department and there were ongoing discussions with unions, Mabuyane said.
Makupula said the plan had been adopted last Friday and that the department and South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), a Cosatu affiliate, had agreed that excess teachers would be moved to where they were needed.
He said the parties had also agreed that more than 2000 temporary teachers, who had been rehired until the end of June, would be permanently employed.
Makupula said the department and unions would discuss further details on the placement of excess teachers across education districts today .
Cosatu provincial secretary Mandla Rayi said he was aware of the alliance meeting, but had not been there and did not know about its decision taken there.
Rayi declined to comment, referring questions to Sadtu’s provincial leadership.
Sadtu provincial deputy secretary Nolitha Mboniswa said the union was only aware of an agreement to employ temporary teachers permanently and a discussion would be held today over other matters affecting temporary teachers.
Mabuyane said: “If Sadtu has made a statement saying they don’t agree with a decision to move teachers, then we don’t know of it .”
Mabuyane urged excess teachers to be professional and move to where they were needed. —
EC ANC allies want move of teachers
The Daily Dispatch spoke to ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane yesterday following an interview with MEC Mandla Makupula, who is a central executive committee member of the provincial SACP, about the department’s plan to deal with the teacher shortage crisis.
The alliance of the ANC, SACP and Cosatu met last week as part of a political oversight to resolve the impasse.
“We said as allies that the movement of teachers must happen. Temporary teachers in the system who have not yet been brought back must be used to fill jobs at senior secondary schools where it seems there are not enough excess teachers to fill posts.”
He said the agreement meant that the technical oversight team would deal with the technicalities around benefits of the teachers being transferred to other schools.
A plan had already been tabled at the bargaining chamber by the department and there were ongoing discussions with unions, Mabuyane said.
Makupula said the plan had been adopted last Friday and that the department and South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), a Cosatu affiliate, had agreed that excess teachers would be moved to where they were needed.
He said the parties had also agreed that more than 2000 temporary teachers, who had been rehired until the end of June, would be permanently employed.
Makupula said the department and unions would discuss further details on the placement of excess teachers across education districts today .
Cosatu provincial secretary Mandla Rayi said he was aware of the alliance meeting, but had not been there and did not know about its decision taken there.
Rayi declined to comment, referring questions to Sadtu’s provincial leadership.
Sadtu provincial deputy secretary Nolitha Mboniswa said the union was only aware of an agreement to employ temporary teachers permanently and a discussion would be held today over other matters affecting temporary teachers.
Mabuyane said: “If Sadtu has made a statement saying they don’t agree with a decision to move teachers, then we don’t know of it .”
Mabuyane urged excess teachers to be professional and move to where they were needed. —
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