/ 1 December 2010

‘Pass black matrics’

The KwaZulu-Natal branch of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu)
has called on “biased marking” in favour of black matriculants, the Sowetan reported Wednesday.

The union’s provincial secretary Mbuyiseni Mathonsi reportedly appealed to markers not to be too hard on pupils writing papers not in their mother tongue.

It quoted him saying: “The markers should bear in mind that African pupils were not writing in their mother tongue and spare a thought for those affected by the strike.”

Sadtu was one of the public sector unions that went on strike earlier this year, and although it ended its strike, was the only union that didn’t formally accept the government’s offer of a 7,5% wage increase and R800 housing allowance.

National Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi could not be reached for comment.

Sadtu’s Gauteng secretary Tseliso Ledimo told the South African Press Association he was not aware of the request for favourable marking being a national Sadtu request.

“I think it’s peculiar to KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.

‘Ludicrous’
The Sowetan’s editorial commented that: “What Sadtu is essentially calling for is that we produce mediocre matriculants who were pushed through because those charged with ensuring that they become quality products failed to do so.”

The Independent Democrats spokesperson Haniff Hoosen said Sadtu’s call for the favourable marking was “ludicrous”.

“Black students have suffered enough under apartheid’s inferior quality of education and Sadtu’s call amounts to maintaining the status quo for an inferior qualification.”

He said that if Sadtu was serious about education the union would discourage their members from striking at the “drop of a hat”. — Sapa