The Department of Education and teacher unions reached an agreement on Friday to increase teachers’ salaries and bonuses by more than R500-million.
The parties to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) consisted of the Department of Education, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, National Professional Teachers’ Union of South Africa, Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie and the Natal African Teachers’ Union.
They reached an agreement on the outstanding matter of salary progression for teachers for the period 1996 to 2002.
The agreement, signed in Centurion, notes additional funds have been made available to pay cash bonuses over and above R500-million originally budgeted for salary increases.
The agreement provides for salary increases of up to 3% for teachers who were in service during the period 1996 to 2002, and who did not see any improvement in their salaries during that time, and similar cash bonuses for those who were promoted during the same period, the ELRC said in a statement.
”The additional funds are those that President Thabo Mbeki alluded to in his State of the Nation address,” said departmental spokesperson Tommy Makhode.
Makhode said the purpose of the agreement is to commit parties to quality public education and improved productivity and performance within the education sector.
He said the money, in terms of the agreement, will be used not only to increase teachers’ salaries but also to enhance teachers’ morale, improve their commitment to public education, make teaching an attractive career option and improve the quality of public education in South Africa.
”The Education Department is absolutely thrilled with the outcome of the agreement,” he said.
The funds will also be used to address concerns around scarce skills, and the need to recruit and retain educators with such skills, the ELRC said.
An all-party task team has been established to monitor the implementation of the agreement and to ensure teachers receive their money as soon as possible.
The Department of Education and the leadership of the teacher unions expressed appreciation that the matter has been resolved and pledged to focus on the need for new initiatives designed to improve the quality of public education, the ELRC said. — Sapa