New regulations to cap teachers' salaries spell disaster
Regulations recently circulated by new Education Minister Angie Motsheka for public comment will stop schools from being able to top up teachers' remuneration, except in specific, limited circumstances. This is yet another onslaught on quality schools aimed at bringing all schools down to the level of our worst schools, and it is a manifestation of the continual pursuit of low standards that is the hallmark of Ms Motsheka's trade union background.
The DA has a copy of the regulations and they are available on request.
Top-ups for salaries cost the state nothing, but they help to prop up the public education system which the state is responsible for maintaining. It is, quite simply, madness to do away with these.
The reality of South African education is that bad teachers are paid far more than they should be, but good teachers are paid far less.
Good schools attract more wealthy parents, who are able, in terms of current legislation, to pay higher fees to pay teachers top-ups to their state salaries. This creates strata of quality, but if you stop allowing these top-up payments, good teachers, who have previously been able to earn something close to what they deserve, will either leave teaching or leave the public sector.
This proposal is typical of the ANC's political philosophy: Once again the ruling party is acting to reduce the bar to the lowest common denominator, instead of trying to uplift those in need of development and support to the highest possible level. This is how mediocrity manifests in practical terms. Put another way, rather than encouraging a system whereby excellence is rewarded, the ANC government is proposing to punish our top teachers by capping their salaries; instead, it should be investigating ways to improve and uplift all teachers to a level of excellence, for which they should then be paid the appropriate salary.
Crucially, regulations can be introduced without having to go through any parliamentary processes, and these regulations could well come into effect within three weeks. But because the implications of these particular regulations for schooling are so enormous, we believe that there should at least be public hearings. We will therefore be writing on Monday to the chairperson of the portfolio committee on education to request that such hearings be held.
The ANC government's stands in stark contrast to the DA's view that we should be developing and encouraging centres of excellence in schooling across the country, which can be used as the foundation stones for rebuilding the whole system.
If these regulations are passed, public education as a whole will be the loser. There has been a flood of children into former model C schools from dysfunctional township schools. If these schools start failing too, these children will not be able to move to private schools, and good schooling will really and truly only be for the rich. The minister would be better off focusing on what is causing some schools to become wastelands, rather than on destroying what makes other schools succeed.
Statement issued by Donald Smiles, MP, Democratic Alliance deputy shadow minister of basic education, September 6 2009
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