TEACHERS GRAB LUMP SUM IN PANIC

COPE is astonished that the Department of Basic Education does not possess the means of immediate communication with SADTU and with educators in our schools. This palpable failure has led to the panic resignations of 14 000 teachers who feared that they would be barred from a lump sum pension benefit. No country can tolerate an exodus such as this as a result of communication breakdown (see TimesLive report).

As education lurches from crisis to crisis the very future of our children continues to be compromised. We want to know what is the position of staffing in our schools and to what extent is the Department going to rely on unqualified temporary teachers to fill vacancies. Moreover, what will happen when temporary teachers demand to be retained in their posts? Parents need clarity on this matter from the Minister of Education.

Statement issued by Farouk Cassim, COPE, February 11 2015

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