‘Millions’ sit key tests in spite of unions

MILLIONS of children eventually wrote the annual national assessments this year, according to the Department of Basic Education.

The assessments were postponed in September after teacher unions called on members not to administer them.

Last month, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the tests — deemed an “important diagnostic tool” for pupils in grades 1 to 9 — would go ahead between November 26 and December 4.

Motshekga’s spokesman, Elijah Mhlanga, said a report on how many pupils wrote the assessments would be published next month.

“All I can say is that thousands of schools and millions of learners participated,” he said.

However, the South African Democratic Teachers Union accused department officials of

Teachers say national assessment is riddled with problems

General secretary Mugwena Maluleke said almost all of its 260 000 members had refused to administer the tests.

There were instances where officials asked parents and community organisations to run the assessments in the Northern Cape, he said.

Chris Klopper, CEO of the South African Teachers’ Union, said it had opposed this year’s assessments but advised members to decide for themselves whether to administer them.

He said the union had warned its members at the 3 800 schools in which it is represented, that they would be “victimised” or “targeted” by authorities if they refused to administer the assessments.

Teachers say the assessments are riddled with problems, including questions on content that has not yet been taught. Klopper said schools “very seldom” used the results diagnostically.