The IFP has taken note of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu's) decision to advise its members not to assist school pupils with recovery programmes during the September holidays, due to their latest spat with government over wages.

"The IFP condemns in the strongest possible terms, Sadtu's decision to abandon students nationwide in their hour of need. The IFP contends that the ANC-aligned union continues to act as an organization hell-bent on destroying the futures of our children. Instead of acting like responsible educators, some members of Sadtu have on numerous occasions proven themselves to be irresponsible, unprofessional and unfit to educate South Africa's learners. Sadtu's recent meeting, arranged during school hours, is a case in point," said Mr Alfred Mpontshane, the IFP's spokesperson on Education today.

Mpontshane said that the IFP feared that the matric pass rate will be at its lowest level since 1994, but that Government and its alliance partners will only have themselves to blame, if indeed the results are poor.

"This situation is totally unacceptable. Especially if it is taken into consideration that many students are only four weeks away from their final examinations. Pupils are ill-prepared, not due to their own fault, but due to the continuous squabbles between Government and the Unions. The recovery programme must be implemented countrywide without delay, especially in KwaZulu Natal where it appears that no such initiative has been rolled-out at all," said Mpontshane.

Mpontshane called on Government to rein in Sadtu and its members and to find a solution to this matter urgently.

"The message that Sadtu and the ANC are sending South Africans is that their primary mission is not the welfare or the education of our children, but that they are only concerned about their own fortunes. We want to see clear direction and action from the Department of Education on this matter, especially when the Minister had denied that Unions had linked the catch-up programme with the no work, no pay policy," added Mpontshane.

Issued by the Inkatha Freedom Party, September 30 2010

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter