Mvuyo Mati

Mvuyo Mati

Teachers are concerned that grade 12 final examination markers may face a black Christmas because Department of Education staff begin their holiday tomorrow.

The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) said its concern arose from previous experiences with the department when it had failed to pay markers on schedule.

Eastern Cape Sadtu secretary Mxolisi Dimaza said teachers who marked in December last year, and were supposed to have been paid the same month, were only paid in January.

A number of teachers went to marking centres across the province three weeks ago and only returned on Thursday.

"We hope the department responds quickly to everybody it owes, and we look forward to seeing teachers being paid," Dimaza said.

He lamented the department's decision to reduce the markers' remuneration this year without informing them.

"This was unprofessional on the part of the department because it should have informed the teachers first."

Provincial department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said a skeleton staff, doing essential services such as human resources, payments and salaries, would remain posted to perform their jobs.

He said the first payment run would go ahead as scheduled on Monday and thesecond would take place two weeks later.

"They [the teachers] should get paid on Monday," he said.