SADTU and unions must be fully independent of government if SA is ever to prosper
21 December 2015
Congress of the People believes that SADTU at present is impacting very negatively and even adversely on basic education in our country. SADTU is asserting itself powerfully all the time but never for the improvement of the functioning and quality of the overall education system. SADTU should be seen to be representing professionals who are committed lifelong learners, devoted researchers and passionate classroom practitioners, but sadly for children in South Africa that is not the case.
SADTU should be taking a lead in the professional development of its members and creating a site where educators can contribute suggestions, ideas, experiments, analysis and lesson preparations. Such professional help ought to serve as the primary reason for teachers to join SADTU. However, it is totally deficient in this regard.
It is sad that SADTU is so little focussed on knowledge creation and improvement of education. Elsewhere, in progressive nations, teacher bodies attract professors, retired subject advisers, educators who are no longer in service, writers, commentators and parents to enrich discourse and to profit from the experience of experts. Teacher bodies also interact with other bodies internationally to share information on best practice and innovation.
The advancement of remuneration is an important issue but cannot be the sole issue.
SADTU ought also to be publicising research on education conducted by doctoral candidates and reviewing books on education management, class room practices and the use of technology. South African teachers need to keep abreast of modern trends but SADTU does not prioritise this.
Many of us in COPE often see teacher groups from elsewhere in the world visiting South Africa from abroad. Their teacher bodies are keen for their members to expand their outlook and deepen their understanding of other countries and people. Does SADTU do any of this?
Teacher bodies generally organise annual conferences where leading educators and academics from around the world gather and deal with issues facing educators everywhere. This is where important themes are canvassed and knowledge shared.
SADTU, unfortunately, is best known for frequently abandoning learners at crucial times, as when exams are approaching, to stage lengthy strikes against the government of which they are an essential part. Furthermore their members have become involved in selling posts, intimidating deserving educators from applying for promotion posts, preventing teacher evaluation, blocking ANA testing of learners and not talking education seriously.
On its official and very static website, only 5 documents are listed: one from 2010 and 4 from 2011. Under publications, 4 are from 2009 and one from 2010. One document is titled: Vote ANC.SADTU exists for power politics, not education. It has paralysed the ministry.
It is time that South Africans wakes up to the enormous harm that SADTU is inflicting on education in South Africa. SADTU rules with the ANC and therefore is unwilling to be governed. It is a law unto itself.
What South Africa needs is a professional association which will represent educators strongly and take teaching forward so that it becomes attractive to talented young South Africans. COPE strongly believes that unions must be totally independent and not consistent string pullers in government. The longer they are nested in government the longer they will continue to damage education. Everyone lose, children in particular and society in general.
President Zuma will of course put the ANC first and let the children of South Africa languish. What a dismal leader!
Issued by Dennis Bloem, Spokesperson, COPE, 21 December 2015
