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28 May 2017 SADTU Post-NEC Statement The National Executive Committee of SADTU met on Friday 26 May 2017 at the Union's head offices in Kempton Park to deliberate on many issues ranging from internal union matters, socio-economic, education, political to labour matters. The meeting took place three days before the Central Committee meeting of COSATU. The NEC wished COSATU a successful Central Committee meeting that is taking place under the 12th National Congress Theme - Unity and Cohesion of COSATU to Advance the National Democratic Revolution for Socialism. The NEC noted that the Central Committee would not be any ordinary constitutional gathering of the Federation as it happens in the context of a greatly divided mass democratic movement looking into the upcoming National Conference of the ANC. It is also happens in the wake of a launch of a federation that has projected itself as an alternative to COSATU. On the political climate and calls for President Zuma to step down The NEC agreed with COSATU's decision that President Zuma should step down but it would not take part in demonstrations organized and led by the opposition parties because their agenda is different to that of the workers. On attacks on women and children Following the recent spate of incidents of murders and rapes of young women and children in general with specific reference to the latest reported incidents where young women were murdered and one gang raped in the Johannesburg Central Business District. The NEC resolved that as SADTU, as a union in the teaching profession that is at the forefront of transforming societies shall organise and lead a march first in Soweto and then to all other province to protest against this growing scourge. It called upon members to continue efforts particularly in schools and the communities in which members work to provide support and education particularly to young men and boys on the need to respect the human rights of women and girls. The NEC further resolved to develop a special pamphlet that would be used in schools to help teachers to enrich the curriculum. It further urged members to provide assistance where they can by assisting law enforcement agencies and provide and/or facilitate the provision of any information that can help in apprehending these heartless criminals. It rejected the notion that psycho-socio factors such as unemployment, drug and substance abuse contribute to the nature of the violent society we are. The NEC said such incidents are a constant reminder of the need for society to intensify the struggle for the total emancipation of women, the respect for human rights and our responsibility to ensure the attainment of a non-sexist society. The DA and the Human Rights Commission The NEC noted media reports of a probe by the Human Rights Commission into SADTU after a complaint by the DA for violating the constitutional rights of learners to a basic education. The Union has not received any formal communication from the Human Rights Commission advising SADTU that they are being investigated. The NEC indicated that the Union was unperturbed by this DA-led fishing expedition. We understand that it comes with the territory and we will not apologise for our ability to organise 70% of the education workers in the country. Looking at the areas the DA requests the Commission to investigate, it is clear that this is but an attempt by it to remain relevant in the discourse using our Union. The NEC reiterated the fact that Union is ready to fend off the attempts by our class enemies to tarnish our name and we refuse to be intimidated by the DA. On the Ministerial Task Team Report The NEC said the Union was vindicated by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's assertion during her Department's budget vote speech that exonerated SADTU. Minister Motshekga said the Ministerial Task Team did not find evidence that SADTU ever sanctioned the practice of selling posts. It instead found that district officials were implicated in the scam. The NEC expressed relief that Motshekga has finally acceded to what we have been saying all along. The NEC welcomes this relief because it took a year for the minister to allow due processes before making this conclusion. SADTU has, since the release of the report in May 2016, been pleading its innocence amid the noise from opposition parties - particularly the DA who misrepresented the facts to suit their political agenda of rubbishing the ANC using SADTU as an entry point. On 0,5 parity The NEC raised concern over the fact that the 0,5% was still not forthcoming and this was a serious cause for concern among members and teachers while all other public service employees receive 1,5% parity increase. The NEC resolved that the Union should engage with Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and the new Public Service Minister Faith Muthambi on the matter. If this does do bear positive fruit, the union will then ballot members and embark on a work-to-rule industrial action. On the TVET sector The NEC expressed concern over an unprecedented and erratic action by the DHET to unilaterally change date of payment of TVET lecturers without consultation with organised labour. If left unchallenged, this would have dire consequences for collective bargaining and consultation processes for the sector. The NEC therefore resolved that the union should launch an urgent court application to force the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to reverse their unilateral change of payment dates and consult labour on any matter affecting condition of service. The NEC further resolved that it was time the Director General and the Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training knew that SADTU as a Union, would not allow them to undermine the laws of this country because they are friends with other unions that dictated to them what to do. On the National Integrated Assessment Framework The NEC observed that the National Integrated Assessment Framework (NIAF) that was announced by Minister Motshekga in her budget speech as a new assessment tool to replace the Annual National Assessment (ANA) did not differ from ANA. In fact, it is bringing back ANA through the back door. SADTU and the other teacher unions are concerned about the proliferation of summative assessment in the system at the expense of other forms of assessments. For example, CAPS provides for four forms of assessment - baseline assessment, assessment for learning, diagnostic assessment and summative assessment. The NIAF presents summative assessment in all four forms of assessment and in the process is attempting to redefine the curriculum in terms of the summative assessment. It is narrowing the curriculum to concepts and cognitive levels defined in tests framework. In the process, one observed the DBE's narrow perception on teacher development, promoted by competency test, item banks, taking test and putting the certification of these uptakes at the centre. The NIAF content have many deviations and contradictions and the framework will increase the workload of teachers more, worst their narrow agenda that assessment is not part of teaching and learning and must be designed outside of the classroom. The NIAF is bringing provincial layering back and over assessment would be used as a so-called tool to ascertain challenges in the classroom and teacher development. The NEC noted that the NIAF was another attempt to add more burden on teachers and to deprofessionalise members and teachers in general and therefore there needs to be consorted effort to curb this. The NEC resolved to oppose any outsourcing in education and will mobilize members to reject standardized curriculum. The Union will continue to participate in the remodelling of the national assessment to ensure that quality teaching and learning takes place and oppose teach for testing attempts that are imported from failed systems somewhere. The NEC called for the implementation of the triennial systemic assessment which has been agreed upon before all these attempts by officials to secure their pension by outsourcing assessments. On Professional Learning Communities The NEC resolved that the Union should promote and support provinces to implement professional learning communities or communities of practice in schools through its Curtis Nkondo Professional Development Institute. The main reason for promoting professional learning communities or communities of practice is to address and transcend contextual issues that labour effective education delivery. The Institute has organized school based professional learning communities through the protocols and guidelines training document and have had intervention in Butterworth District in the Eastern Cape and Sekhukhune in Limpopo. The Institute seeks to promote the implementation of Professional Learning Communities as a means to organise school based professional learning communities in provinces. Issued by: SADTU Secretariat Contact: Mugwena Maluleke, General Secretary, 082 783 2968 Nkosana Dolopi, Deputy General Secretary, 082 709 5651 Nomusa Cembi, Media Officer, 082 719 5157 __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of detection engine 15502 (20170530) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com ________________________________ [http://imageshack.com/a/img32/381/6b28.png] E-mail Disclaimer: The information contained in this communication is confidential and may be legal privileged. It is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorised to received it. 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