SADTU
*SADTU Media Statement, 11 February 2011* *SADTU welcomes the State of the Nation Address*SADTU has welcomed the 2011 Year for Job Creation through meaningful economic transformation and inclusive growth State of the Nation address by President Jacob Zuma.
It is indeed true that government cannot create these jobs alone but has to work with business, labour and community constituencies.
Although the President didn't dwell much on education as he did in 2010, we are heartened by the fact that education continues to be one of the main five priorities.
We welcome this year's basic education's focus on the Triple T: Teachers, Textbooks and Time.However, the quality of education will depend on the investment the government is prepared to make in the inputs, process and projected outcomes of education. Inputs are the quality of teachers, as properly supported and incentivized, learner background and investment in teacher training and development.
We view Triple T as the further strengthening of Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) SADTU is already committed to.However, we feel the Triple T lacks one important element -- the development of management at district level. The district managers are the ones responsible for the distribution of workbooks and learner materials to schools on time. If they are not trained and developed, the system suffers.
SADTU is deeply committed to bringing quality education and creating a learning nation. This is highlighted in the Union's 2030 Vision discussion document which commits to, among others, the following:
* Through classroom teaching, commitment and professionalisation
improve educational outcomes of the nation. Teacher
Development structures and the Quality Learning and Teaching
Campaign are key
* Research into improved teaching and learning methods. SADTU
needs to be proactive -- and not accept every latest imported
model. The role of SADTU Teacher Development Institute is
critical.
* Deepen our commitment to our triple mandate- trade union
rights, the fate of education system in general and human
rights in general. We do this because we have stated on
numerous occasions that, the struggle for improved teachers'
conditions is to ensure improved conditions of teaching, which
in its turn should contribute to improved living conditions
for society in general.
We are deeply disappointed by the President's silence on the re-opening
of Teacher Training Colleges. SADTU has repeatedly called for the
opening of these Colleges so as to assist towards the alleviation of
teacher shortages. The ANC's National General Council also resolved to
have these colleges opened. Training at Universities, through the Funda
Lushaka programme, will never close the gap.
However, SADTU plan to open its own Teacher Development Institute to train and develop teachers are at an advanced stage.
SADTU also welcomes the implementation of the Annual National Assessments (ANA); however we are concerned the process has not run as smooth as we would have wanted it. Some provinces experienced shortages of question papers as schools were given one copy per learning area and some schools with no photocopiers struggled. Some learners could not finish writing on time. In some schools, wrong question papers or wrong memoranda were delivered.
The President has in his speech continued to show his interest for the children of the poor at heart. We welcome the fact that higher education will expand access to the children of the poor by doing among other things, converting loans into bursaries for qualifying final year students. We would like to see this implemented with immediate effect.
On skills training, we also echo the President's call to the state owned enterprises to play a key role in skills development and help provide the technical skills needed by the economy.
There is an urgent need for effective integration and co-ordination in this sector. Departments cannot continue working in silos when our country needs skills.
We hope this will give the country's highest unemployed sector -- the youth between the ages of 18 and 24 -- a chance to be skilled and therefore increase the chances of employment.
SADTU will also closely monitor the process of filling of vacancies in the public sector -- with suitably qualified people - in six months times as announced by the President. Our emphasis will be on the vacancies of administrative staff in schools.
*Issued by SADTU Secretariat* ** *Contact:* *General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, 082 783 2968* *Deputy General Secretary, Nkosana Dolopi, 082 709 5651* *Media Officer, Nomusa Cembi, 082 719 5157* -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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