COSATU to protest at CTICC if Zille addresses the International Education Conference on Friday 22nd July 2011
COSATU Western Cape believes it is entirely inappropriate for Premier Zille to address the Conference on Education, as this conference is about building an education system that appreciates educators and appreciates that all learners need the best opportunities. Premier Zille is unsuitable to address the Conference because of the following positions that she holds.
Premier Zille is hostile to teachers unions [wanting unions outlawed] and her party of which she is the leader is committed to reducing Labour Laws in SA which are an important cornerstone of democracy in SA and across the world. She blames teachers for poor results when the poor schools have 60 kids and more per class, while her kids are 25 per class.
Teachers in rich and poor schools have a completely different education environment that they encounter every day. Premier Zille main attack is on the teachers , as the resource issues would raise the questions of why rich schools have more money available for them, and how we need to tax super wealthy to provide all learners with an equal opportunity.
Premier Zille has never opposed the 2 tier education system that exists in SA, one for the rich and one for the poor. In her world it is acceptable that her children go to schools that have better facilities than the Children of the townships. Never has she raised the important principle of giving township schools the same facilities as Westerford [her kids rich school]. This inequality gives her children an unfair advantage in the competition that follows Matric, whether for a job or for a position in tertiary education.
Premier Zille takes a second salary, in addition to her R 1.6 million salary, when that money could have been used to provide learners from the poor side of education with much needed facilities. This is her values of an open opportunity society, where the greedy grab what they can and show no compassion for those who suffered under apartheid while the apartheid beneficiaries were building a system for their families that they now want to protect/
Premier Zille represents a value system that is just so different from the Trade Union value System of COMPASSSION and solidarity. Her presence at the World conference of education will contaminate the Conference with greed and Material obsession that is a feature of the elites in South Africa, ahead of the noble ideals of equality and social cohesion.
This is an International Conference where SA must put its best foot forward, and down play the Apartheid greed that still exist in SA alongside the values of Equality and Social Justice. We will insist that those who support and perpetuate a dual Education System, where rich and poor have different opportunities to realise their potential, be exposed for their injustice.
COSATU will stage a protest at the Conference to tell the International Education Community that Premier Zille VIEW on Education does not represent the South African value System. As most South Africans stand for equality, fair opportunity and social Justice, in Education. Zille stand for division, cynicism, one standard for her kids an inferior standard for the poorer kids.
Statement issued by Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU Western Cape, July 21 2011
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