Response to ‘Bunking Teachers fail learners’ in Mail and Guardian A awesome piece was written with an interesting rhetorical question as to whether ‘we are educating for Socialism or Capitalism’?And the article on ‘bunking of teachers’ attempt on a narrow path to undermine the integrity of progressive Trade Unions organizing within the education sector in general and also the right of freedom of association for all public service in particular. This [onslaught] is not a new thing as it has found synergy with a lone voice of soundbites from rightwingers- influenced rhetoric on clamping the collective voice of the working class in campaigning for a ‘real’ living wage as espoused by COSATU-led Affiliates in general. The article narrates the comparative study conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council [HSRC] which outlines a view that “teacher’s bunking lessons with tacit union endorsement is a major cause of learner’s poor academic achievement”. It further portrays it as ‘ground breaking exposee’, which when interrogated further undermine the basic and universal right for all workers; the freedom of association and the right to organize. The Public Administration Management principles within all public service allows elected officials from Union a sizeable number of days to perform union work as part of entrenching the principle of freedom of association and enhance sound labour relations within all workplaces. The only hiccup that the piece did not reveal is on unsound labour relations milieu which has made ‘enabling factors’ within the workplaces not to be nourished. Many institutions have collapsed due to lack of decisive managers and/or improper prioritization of key deliverables, such as an account to deliver necessary instruments [books, stationary etc], to make educative process to go smoothly. To suggest that ‘in South Africa the expression of teacher unionism at local level constraints the ability of government to pursue its policy objectives of improving literacy and numeracy and broader educational outcomes”, is unlettered and has no scientific facts; it actually bodes of hatred of trade unions as few right-wing supporters was to declare the occupation an essential services, to curb workers of the mind to express their trade union rights and reclaim trade unionism. These rights are about a universal principle; for example UNISON, a Britain and Europe’s biggest public sector union with more than 1.3 million members has such provisions which encompass written agreements with employers to exercise that ‘right’.
Narrow comparison with countries such as Botswana which has impatience with trade unions is a fact to be expreesed.However,with the latest literacy reports which paints a picture that South Africa has low levels of competency is a cause for concern. But to pick and choose ‘only teacher absenteeism’ is disingenuous on the basis that other contributory factors such as the question of demand and supply of workers of the mind as one of many contributions, which are negated. Many workers are resigning for other opportunities due to disrespect to express ‘the importance of pedagogues’ with a better pay. To replace an equally competent pedagogue is still a challenge due to closure of colleges of education by former ministers due to ‘[im] proper advises’. Zimbabwe and Swaziland used to have superior education system, with first class English speakers but what with experience is currently a ‘collapsing system’, due to skewed allocation of resources, dictatorship coupled with distaste to advises by some African leaders on prioritizing education as an engine to personal development. The piece went further to paint a picture that workers are saying “we bunk classes because we don’t like teaching and we don’t like it because we’re not confident”, is actually an attempt to undermine the integrity of the South African workforce with the education sector. Many pedagogues and androgogue have always gone above expectations by dedicating their family time to enrich preparations for learners for annual assessment processes yet many do not appreciate. Some [narrow] arguments are that it is part of the job description and why praise them? But when things go awful [horribly wrong], it takes a second for a finger to points towards them.[patriotism ignorance]. Every government department has signed a government delivery framework with specific outcomes for achieving and if indeed there are so-called managers threatened by existence of trade unions in generally suggest that conservatism around functionality of toiling classes is under threat. A piece of trade union[ism] education will be relevant as part of building a just society, with more respected for International Labour Relations Convention in general and freedom of association in particular. Drawing some factual illustrations from "Making schooling rights realities", it prudent that all boy and girl child are afforded an opportunity to access quality free public education without any hindrances such as lack of enabling conditions to enhance competencies. Making sure that 'every day becomes a Mandela Day', entails ensuring that education indeed become an engine for personal development and not a disaster in waiting for the future citizens. A campaign on unlocking the doors of learning is a noble exercise which we cannot compromise at any time. Issued by: Mampane Norman National Spokesperson Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union Tel: 0112424600/4615 Cell: 0720737959 Email: [email protected] www.popcru.org.za 01 Marie Road Auckland Park 2006 -- 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] .
