Minister of Education Naledi Pandor expressed horror on Thursday at the disruption of the matric-exam process in the Eastern Cape by teachers involved in a labour dispute.
”We must not allow the Eastern Cape to get the lowest pass rates again,” she reacted to reports that teachers have been prevented from submitting pupils’ year marks.
”The future of our children is not a weapon to be exploited in a labour dispute, and this form of blackmail can never be condoned.”
The dispute involves a number of issues, including the appointment of temporary teachers to permanent posts.
Pandor, who is attending a conference in France, said media reports describing some teachers and South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) leaders as thugs were disappointing but accurate.
”In fact, this behaviour is criminal, it is unprofessional, and must be dealt with in the firmest possible manner,” she said in a statement.
She has asked Deputy Minister of Education Enver Surty to meet with Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula urgently to ensure the safety of scholars and teachers in the region.
Meanwhile, Sadtu haswarned of an escalation of the education crisis in the province if security forces are used against the teachers engaged in the labour dispute.
Denying that they pose a threat to exams, Sadtu insisted its members are committed to their profession.
”The threat to schooling in the Eastern Cape comes from a dysfunctional provincial education department, an arrogant MEC [provincial minister] and a failure of the national ministry to address the growing crisis in that province,” Sadtu said in a statement.
”The intention to dismiss 5 000 temporary teachers on the eve of matric examinations is destabilising education in the Eastern Cape — and the responsibility for this lies squarely with the department of education.” — Sapa