The Ministry of Basic Education and MECs of Education from provinces met on Thursday, 25 April 2013 in Pretoria at a Council for Education Minister’s (CEM) scheduled to discuss matters relating to quality education. The meeting took time to discuss the current impasse with South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), amongst other things.
CEM re-affirmed that the interest of learners and the right to quality education will always enjoy its foremost attention and it should not be compromised. While CEM notes the right of SADTU to protest, it agreed that at all times, all efforts should be done to ensure that this right should not negatively impact on the rights of learners to basic education.
CEM described the protest action of SADTU on Wednesday as unfortunate as it threatened to reverse all the gains made so far, and all efforts should be undertaken towards achieving quality education.
As a matter that SADTU raises consistently as being at the heart of their dispute with the Department of Basic Education, is the issue of “undermining” Collective Agreement 1 of 2011. After receiving a report from the department on the process that had been undertaken during the entire 2012 to resolve this matter unsuccessfully, CEM has been informed on the proposed mechanism that would be established to make other attempts to resolve the remuneration of markers.
CEM noted that government through the Department of Public Services and Administration (DPSA) was already engaged with various teacher unions in a process of bringing parity in the profession with regard to the pay progression.
Regarding corruption, CEM reiterates the government efforts to root out corruption, and invites unions and the general public to provide any evidence of corruption by DBE officials in order to take immediate and appropriate steps.
CEM also notes that the Public Service Commission was still in the process of finalising the investigations concerning the Director-General and other officials involved in the Limpopo textbook debacle of 2012.
After lengthy discussions, about the recent labour action by SADTU, including disruptions of schooling by its members in different parts of the country, CEM is of the view that these actions unfortunately undermine the rights of children to quality education. CEM is of the view that the labour action should be reconsidered to ensure that the rights of the learners are not further compromised.
CEM urges SADTU to provide the department the opportunity to engage with the issues raised in the memorandum submitted to the Presidency. CEM reaffirms this government’s commitment to labour peace and the rights of workers and remains committed to finding an amicable solution to the impasse.
CEM further calls on communities to ensure that education remains a societal issue and should be safeguarded at all times.
Enquiries:
Panyaza Lesufi
Cell: 072 148 9575
