Who is teaching our children? DA KZN call urgent meeting with SADTU
10 September 2014
THE Democratic Alliance in KZN will call for an urgent meeting with SADTU officials after a party oversight visit conducted yesterday by Councillor Riona Gokool and I to Duffs Road Primary school in KwaMashu revealed that more than half the teachers had been called away to a teacher union meeting during school hours.
Time and time again SADTU has meetings during teaching time, causing massive disruption.
Yesterday's teacher union meeting, which took place in KwaMashu, was set to begin at 11:30am. It was allegedly called with next to no time for educators to find ways to continue their classes without disturbing learning time.
Certainly, the school I visited is not the only one that would have been heavily understaffed yesterday. During the hour and a half I spent there, most pupils played outside the entire time.
The DA expects KZN Education MEC, Peggy Nkonyeni to report on what action she will take against SADTU for this flagrant disregard for her authority.
More importantly - she must take action on behalf of the thousands of children whose education is being compromised on an ongoing basis.
The DA recognizes SADTU's right to meet but studies also show clearly the link between reduced teaching time and poor academic results. It is exactly this sort of action by the teacher union - in calling its members out of classrooms - that contributes to this widespread problem.
It is clear that SADTU's needs are not being met within the Tripartite Alliance. Why else would they directly contravene President Zuma's calls that "teachers should be in school, in class, on time, teaching, with no neglect of duty and no abuse of pupils".
There can be no SADTU issue so pressing that it necessitates meeting during school time and without proper notice.
The DA will meet and discuss this with SADTU in a bid to stop this ongoing problem.
Statement issued by Mbali Ntuli, MPL, DA KZN Spokesperson on Education, September 10 2014
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