Strike violence muddies image of teachers
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says that teachers' behaviour during the strike is a serious setback for the image of the profession
I am worried about the African child and the poor people
Motshekga also said her department was caught off guard by the public sector strike that enters its third week today.
In an interview with Sowetan, Motshekga said: "We were not prepared for the strike. We did not think that after making progress with the occupations specific dispensations (OSDs) there would be any more strikes.
"This strike is worse than the 2007 strike. There is much more violence and intimidation."
In 2007 there was a month-long public sector strike, with unions demanding a 10percent salary increase and the implementation of the OSD.
This time public servants want an 8,6percent increase and a R1000 housing allowance. The government is offering a 7percent increase.
"I cannot say that their demands are unreasonable. I know that money will never be enough but the issue here is the availability of resources. It would be judgmental of me to say whether they are paid enough or not."
Motshekga said what was discomforting was that teachers were at the forefront of strike-related incidents.
"When nurses and patients are intimidated in hospitals, 8 out of 10 people (doing that) are teachers. Nurses respect the ethics of their profession and teachers do not.
"This has completely damaged the profession.
"I do not see any self-respecting young person with a good matric pass registering for teaching.
"This is a serious setback for the image of the profession and all the other projects like Fundza Lushaka."
Fundza Lushaka is a bursary scheme meant to encourage students to pursue education studies at colleges and work in public schools.
"The schools that are the worst performing were the first ones to go to the streets. The schools that always perform well will still perform well because they prepared well before the strike.
"There were clips of teachers from Alexandra, who have not been teaching for the whole year, being the first ones on the streets.
"I think provinces like Gauteng and Western Cape will be able to recover. I am worried about the African child and the poor people. I am worried about provinces like Limpopo and Eastern Cape.
"I am going to talk to the MECs and see what recovery programmes we can have. We want to put under-performing schools in a programme to fast-track learning. The programmes will be concentrated on Grade 10 to 12, with a special focus on poor schools."
On the no work, no pay policy, Motshekga said they had a strike management systems plan to keep track of which teachers had worked.
"We cannot take the army and police officers to schools because they are already overstretched at hospitals. We have secured schools that have received threats.
"Prelims are not a huge crisis, they are just a uniform structure to prepare learners for the final exams. They are just another test that creates an atmosphere of exams.
"We hope that the strike will be over in October. Learners can still write them at the end of September. They can be set by the school."
Three provinces - Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and Free State - have already postponed the preliminaries for two weeks. In Western Cape, where teaching was not disrupted, they are continuing with the exams.
1malesia
Saying that "we were not prepared for the strike" is very short-sighted of the minister. By her own admission, the demands are not unreasonable, yet they were not "prepared".Well I guess it is getting clearer on who is at fault in this situation!
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uthandile
If the government gave them what they want, this should have been avoided.Report Abuse
matsosam
I am glad someone noticed that the teachers of the worst perfoming schools were the 1st to toyi toyi.Report Abuse
Teemot
...Still going to meet MEC's to come with a plan. Madam Minister the strike has been going on for two freaking weeks and you're still schedulling a meeting with MEC's? Minister of health Aaron Motsoaledi rolled up his sleeves and examined patients...where were you this whole time?What incompetence!
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Mosito
mme enwa a ntshe e hlohong moo...its amazing how she says that they were not prepared for the strike, because negotiations were going on for some months before the strike...or were they hoping that the workers will give in.....Report Abuse
KANTI
What crap are you noKUKU talking about?The teachers i know live in beatiful houses, dont go to bed hungry, children attend town schools and drive fancy cars.
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Maybe to you their Salary is Big but to Me....Teachers earn Peanuts, even Principaals.
I can never live with their salary......at all.
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Mwelase
Still worse to come, if she says" i hope by October the strike will be over" that statement its self does not have any values. If they still think that teaching is a calling then its a liar."money is always not enough" she knows that everything has gone up.Report Abuse
KANTI
uthandile im sure you dont have a child or children.My child thinks because i have a job i should be able to afford everything she wants, well guess what even if i could afford everthing she wanted i would not give her...she would need to earn/work hard to get what she wants.
The damn strikers need to start working harder maybe we will feel they deserve better pay. Pres.Zuma asked teachers to spend more time in classes, we are they now????...
Somebody needs to stop these grown bratz.
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