| Now, teachers have abandoned whatever moral high | | | | In an apparent acknowledgement of the dangers |
| ground they might have held thanks to the | | | | involved, it was reported that among others the |
| deliberately calculated threat to Matric exams by | | | | police would be on standby. |
| some trade union leaders; while education | | | | The strike comes at a most inopportune time - at |
| departments seem to be completely out of touch | | | | the end of a long weekend, barely three weeks |
| with, or naïve about, conditions on the ground with | | | | after the extended World Cup holiday, when schools |
| their advice to pupils. | | | | are not fully back in rhythm and little more than two |
| Allen Thompson, deputy president of the National | | | | months before Matrics have to begin their |
| Teachers Union (Natu), was last week reported as | | | | all-important final exam. |
| saying "there will no Matric exams written this year in | | | | Syncronising negotiations and budget |
| South Africa. We have decided to use the Matric | | | | The present unsavoury situation of the teachers' |
| exams as a lever if the government does not come | | | | strike, being but a part of wider public service labour |
| forward with a better offer." | | | | action, graphically illustrates the problems presented |
| Some schools included propagandistic letters from | | | | by the fact that the negotiation process and the |
| trade unions in notices sent to parents and guardians | | | | government's budgeting processes are completely |
| on Friday, informing them about the strike and | | | | out of kilter with one another. At least on that front |
| leaving it up to them to decide if they want to send | | | | there may be a glimmer of light at the end of the |
| their children to school today. Others schools | | | | tunnel. |
| encouraged pupils to stay at home. | | | | Announcing the government's "final" salary offer on |
| Judged against the background of Thompson's | | | | Thursday last week, Public Service and Administration |
| threat, it strikes as cynical that some of the trade | | | | Minister Richard Baloyi said it would provide "a |
| unions in their contribution to these notices claim that | | | | bridge" to a more far-reaching negotiation process |
| they refrained from using the 2010 Fifa Soccer World | | | | that would be synchronised with the State's Budget |
| Cup as a lever in their negotiations with the | | | | cycle. |
| government. These claims are also made apparently | | | | The latest would cost more than the R23 billion that |
| without any sense of irony that teachers, unlike | | | | had been budgeted for salary increases for the |
| other workers, could follow the World Cup at their | | | | period, but Baloyi refused to be drawn on the new |
| leisure, courtesy of an extended winter school | | | | cost, saying only that the government would need to |
| holiday. | | | | reprioritise other expenditure. |
| Pupils and their parents and guardians were | | | | He said there was a need to bring the present |
| yesterday instructed by the national and provincial | | | | negotiations to an urgent close, as it would be |
| Education departments that they should attend | | | | necessary to open the next round before November |
| school today, even if there was no supervision | | | | if there were to be any chance of aligning the |
| available. They were expected to keep themselves | | | | bargaining processes with the finalisation of the |
| occupied with all sorts of self-teaching activities, | | | | Budget for 2011/12. |
| including completing newspaper crossword puzzles. | | | | Baloyi committed to a range of historical challenges |
| Safety concerns | | | | being addressed during this next round, including: |
| In light of regular reports about discipline problems at | | | | - A review of government remuneration policy; |
| many schools, the approach by the Education | | | | - The synchronisation of salary negotiations with the |
| departments has left many parents uneasy and even | | | | Budget cycle; |
| concerned for the safety and well-being of their | | | | - A return to April as the implementation month for |
| children. | | | | salary adjustments; |
| There was further cause for concern that things | | | | - The building of sustainable negotiation capacity; |
| may turn ugly at some schools with the National | | | | - The introduction of a multi-term focus in salary |
| Professional Teacher's Organisation of South Africa's | | | | negotiations; and |
| (Naptosa's) president Ezrah Ramasehla urging his | | | | - Further dialogue on housing support for public |
| members to consider various options, including sit-ins | | | | servants. |
| and pickets at school. Such action ran the risk of | | | | "We are willing to address the outstanding issues, |
| confrontation between parents - many of whom are | | | | including housing, in the second phase," he said during |
| unemployed or find it difficult to make ends meet | | | | a briefing at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. |
| themselves - and teachers. | | | | |