SADTU Secretary General must stop trying to destroy our children’s future

SADTU Secretary-General, Mugwena Maluleke’s interview in today’s Sunday Times on whether Education should be declared an essential service was yet another clear example of why SADTU continues to be the reason our education system is in such a mess.

His sentiments were nothing more than a fudge and a poor attempt at political posturing to try and avoid taking responsibility for failures in the education sector.

Maluleke seems to live in a parallel universe where he believes his own alternative facts. His claim that the ILO does not require an essential service to be declared in education, is simply misleading.

The DA’s proposal to have education declared an essential service is guided by ILO’s determination which agrees to a reasonable limit on certain education sector employees right to strike. This is necessary as learners are the victims of education strike action, as their safety, health and education are often compromised. Sadtu fails to accept that the ILO has specifically designated certain education officials that could or should be declared an essential service in order to ensure the safety and health of learners during strike action. These officials include:

- School Principals

- Deputy Principals

- Staff providing meals to children

- Staff charged with ensuring hygienic and safe facilities (Cleaning staff)

South Africa is a signatory of the ILO and should support ILO resolutions and decision.

Maluleke goes on to dismiss as false findings made by the Volmink inquiry that SADTU’s influence has been detrimental to education. If he returns from his parallel universe, he will discover that the findings of the Volmink inquiry are now part of a SAPS investigation into bribery and corruption.

Our children’s right to education cannot continue to be sacrificed on the altar of denialists such as Maluleke. The damage that SADTU has inflicted on our education system cannot be allowed to continue.

We reiterate our call that certain essential education officials be declared an essential service (such as school principals) as a critical first step towards safeguarding our children at school.

Statement issued by Ian Ollis MP, DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education, 1 October 2017