MEC, teacher unions locked in a showdown

THE ARM-WRESTLE over who is in charge of South African schools isn’t over.

A meeting between Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and leaders of other teachers’ unions was held yesterday regarding their threat not to administer and mark the Annual National Assessments.

The spokesman for the Department of Basic Education, Elijah Mhlanga, and union representatives said more time was needed to reach common ground. The meeting is due to continue tomorrow.

Next Tuesday, 8.6 million pupils in grades 1 to 9 in all public (and some independent) schools are scheduled to write the maths and literacy tests.

Last week, education researchers warned that for the unions to defy the department would set a bad precedent.

A political analyst equated the showdown to a “battle for demonstration over who has the influence and power”.

The meeting was called after Sadtu told its 256 000 members to refuse to administer and mark the assessments.

The South African Teachers Union (Satu) and the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) expressed their discontent with how the assessments were conducted and used.

Sadtu said the assessments were an “onslaught on teachers”. It accused the department of waging a “well-orchestrated low-level war” against teachers’ unions and of failing to improve working conditions.

Satu and Naptosa said they would make a decision about their participation after the meeting with the department.

But the National Teachers Union said it was irresponsible to call for a boycott.

Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni said: “Many are concerned over the power unions have over policy.

“It would also raise questions about the tripartite alliance-affiliated unions. If shown to hold a disproportionate amount of power, can anything be enforceable at a time when education reform is so desperately needed?”