MONDAY, 5.30PM
EDUCATION Minister Sibusiso Bengu is to appeal against the judgment of the Cape Town High Court that set aside the teacher redeployment process. (See below).
“The Minister of Education has been advised that there is a reasonable prospect that another court may make a different decision,” the Education Department said in statement on Monday afternoon. “Accordingly, our legal representatives have been instructed to note an appeal … The practical effect is that the execution of the judgment is automatically suspended until the Supreme Court of Appeal delivers its judgment.”
MONDAY, 11.30AM
A CAPE TOWN primary school won a landmark ruling against the education department on Friday, giving it the right to advertise for teachers and select them without government interference.
A decision by the Cape High Court in favour of Grove Primary School, supported by another 80 schools, prevents the education minister from continuing with his “redeployment” programme, aimed at moving teachers to schools in poorer areas.
Guateng’s education MEC, Mary Metcalfe, said the ruling is regrettable, because it will affect programmes to redistribute teaching skills across the country. Both the National Party and Freedom Front welcomed the decision as a victory for “parent power”.
The SA Democratic Techers’ Union has called on Education Minister Sibusiso Bengu to redraft the SA Schools Act. Some 2 600 Cape teachers are waiting to be redeployed rather than accept severance packages.
MONDAY, 4.00PM
IN response to the court decision, the ANC said on Monday it will investigate every means possible to get the teacher redeployment process back on track.
The ANC’s head of the parliamentary study group on transformation, Blade Nzimande, said: “We fully respect the judgment of the court but believe it could undermine the whole process of educational transformation in South Africa.”
Nzimande said the ANC calls on the education minister to look at every means possible — including an appeal against the judges’ decision and exploring changes in legislation — to ensure the ANC realises its goal of a proper redeployment of teachers. “As the ANC we have a responsibility to this country to make sure this process is not derailed,” Nzimande said. “In rural areas and in some township schools we have more than 80 pupils in a class. This situation is untenable.”
The real aims behind the teacher redeployment process are to ensure equity in the distribution of teachers and manageable and improved class sizes, Nzimande said.