Sadtu demands new way of allocating teachers to schools
by Mkhululi Ndamase
2016-05-16 18:10:00.0
THE SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) is demanding the scrapping of a system through which teachers are allocated to schools on the basis of the number of pupils registered .
Instead, it wants teachers allocated to schools based on the number of subjects offered.
This, it argues will see more teachers employed, and will improve pass results as teachers will not be overworked
this to be replaced with a system that will see more teachers being employed.
At a public meeting at the Mthatha Town Hall on Monday, the union said it wants a system that will improve the pupil teacher ratio. It described the current system as "inefficient and anti-revolutionary".
About 400 union members picketed in front of the Mthatha education district offices.
"The manner in which resources are allocated in terms of teaching personnel is in [accordance] with the number of learners we have to teach in our schools. As a result, teachers cannot cope with teaching rallies in class," Sadtu provincial task team facilitator Thabile Kunene told workers.
"We are saying 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," he said.
Kunene said that, to ensure teaching was not be disrupted, the union had pulled just one teacher — a site steward — out of school to be part of the pickets throughout the province, and which he described as a building block to a bigger campaign.
Kunene said the Sadtu national executive committee will decide what further action to take when it meets from June 1-2.
He also complained of nutrition money not being deposited for schools, and said 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 first eat breakfast before attending classes – not in this province," he said.
Kune also raised the difference in the way in which issues in Port Elizabeth and the Transkei were treated.
He said the issues raised by Port Elizabeth northern areas parents were genuine when they closed down more than 20 schools earlier this year, but that the education department treated the former Transkei like a stepchild when it came to issues there.
"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 (River) we don’t have schools," he charged.
Mthatha education district director Temba Dyasi said he would elevate the issues to the provincial office.
TMG Digital
Picture: SUNDAY TIMES
THE SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) is demanding the scrapping of a system through which teachers are allocated to schools on the basis of the number of pupils registered .
Instead, it wants teachers allocated to schools based on the number of subjects offered.
This, it argues will see more teachers employed, and will improve pass results as teachers will not be overworked
this to be replaced with a system that will see more teachers being employed.
At a public meeting at the Mthatha Town Hall on Monday, the union said it wants a system that will improve the pupil teacher ratio. It described the current system as "inefficient and anti-revolutionary".
About 400 union members picketed in front of the Mthatha education district offices.
"The manner in which resources are allocated in terms of teaching personnel is in [accordance] with the number of learners we have to teach in our schools. As a result, teachers cannot cope with teaching rallies in class," Sadtu provincial task team facilitator Thabile Kunene told workers.
"We are saying 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," he said.
Kunene said that, to ensure teaching was not be disrupted, the union had pulled just one teacher — a site steward — out of school to be part of the pickets throughout the province, and which he described as a building block to a bigger campaign.
Kunene said the Sadtu national executive committee will decide what further action to take when it meets from June 1-2.
He also complained of nutrition money not being deposited for schools, and said 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 first eat breakfast before attending classes – not in this province," he said.
Kune also raised the difference in the way in which issues in Port Elizabeth and the Transkei were treated.
He said the issues raised by Port Elizabeth northern areas parents were genuine when they closed down more than 20 schools earlier this year, but that the education department treated the former Transkei like a stepchild when it came to issues there.
"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 (River) we don’t have schools," he charged.
Mthatha education district director Temba Dyasi said he would elevate the issues to the provincial office.
TMG Digital
