Motshekga must break her silence over Sadtu department take-over
The DA urges the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, to break her silence over Sadtu’s take-over of her Department. Sadtu now effectively holds our education system hostage – with what appears to be the consent of the Minister. This undermines the delivery of quality of education to our children, jeopardising their future.
Parliament needs to be briefed by Minister Motshekga as to her deeply problematic decision to postpone the Annual National Assessments (ANA) at the behest of Sadtu, and the steps she is going to take to ensure that these assessments continue in the future. To this end, the DA will request that the Portfolio Committee of Basic Education convenes a special briefing, summoning both the Minister and Sadtu President, Magope Maphila.
We will also request that the Committee have tabled before it the names and credentials of the task team which has been established by the Minister to consider the future of the ANAs. Sadtu leaders are politically elected and not education experts best placed to judge the future of these important assessments. The DA will not allow this task team to be manipulated as smokescreen behind which Sadtu can continue its take-over of the Department.
These annual tests are critical for understanding the literacy and numeracy levels of students across the country. Without these assessments, the government cannot make the necessary interventions to improve the quality of education provided to all of our learners. Our children deserve nothing less than the best, and these assessments are crucial in ensuring that this happens.
We cannot allow for Sadtu to be an obstacle to delivering quality education across the country. Motshekga owes us all an explanation as to how she was prepared to sell off an essential government department to a union which has proven time and again that it simply doesn’t care about South Africa’s children.
Issued by Annette Lovemore, DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education, 15 September 2015
