SADTU meetings disrupt schooling

23 January 2018

The DA is calling upon the Gauteng Department of Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi to crack the whip against the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) for abandoning learners to attend union meetings during school hours.

It was disturbing to see learners leaving school at around 11:00 am as the teachers were expected to attend the SADTU mass meeting today at 12:00 pm.

See photos here and here of Finetown Secondary School learners in Ennerdale South, leaving school early due to SADTU the meeting.

This is becoming a norm in schools where SADTU dominates and insists that their meetings be held during school hours.

SADTU is destroying the future of our children in the townships.

SADTU should be held accountable for the closure of township schools and the decline in enrollment, as most of the parents are moving their children from these schools to better performing and disciplined schools.

MEC Lesufi must take stringent steps to stop SADTU from disrupting learning and teaching.

Teachers are gambling with the future of our children as they are no longer committed to their core mandate of teaching but they are prioritising SADTU meetings during working hours.

The department must provide support to the principals who refuse to allow teachers to attend union meetings during school hours.

Unions have rights guaranteed by the constitution to hold meetings and protest however it does not guarantee them the right to disrupt schooling. Equally, the provision of basic education is constitutional guarantee for young people.

The future of our learners must be a priority. Their future depends on highly committed and dedicated teachers.

Issued by Khume Ramulifho, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, 23 January 2018