Unions push for dialogue on school plans

THE two biggest teacher unions in the country have expressed concern that discussions about the Western Cape Education Department’s proposal on collaboration schools have broken down.

The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union and the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA raised this during the portfolio committee on basic education’s weeklong oversight visit to schools in the province. The collaboration schools envisage public, no-fee schools partnering with non-profit school-support organisations.

Seven public schools are operating as collaboration schools, of which four are primary schools, and three are high schools. Since last year, this has had an impact on more than 6 087 pupils across the province.

Committee chairperson Nomalungelo Gina said the issue needed further discussion. Education MEC Debbie Schäfer’s spokesperson, Jessica Shelver, said concerns were being taken into account.

“As such, the MEC extended an invitation to the unions to meet with her to discuss their concerns. The major disagreement is around the competencies of the provinces and that the unions indicate that the bill is going against the South African Schools Act.

“Basic education is a concurrent competence where provinces have constitutional authority to depart from national legislation, and in fact, provincial legislation prevails, except in very limited circumstance. We are confident of our legal position,” Shelver said.