The North West department of education said on Saturday it would take serious action against teachers and principals who went on strike at Khutsong, near Carletonville, this week.
The move follows their absence from a meeting convened by the North West provincial minister for education Johannes Tselapedi earlier this month, intended to discuss education matters in the area.
They include smooth transfer of schools in the Merafong municipality from the control of Gauteng to North West.
”As far as we are concerned, as at April 1 2007, administratively all teachers in Khutsong are now managed by the
North West provincial government,” said acting superintendent general Mathanzima Mweli.
”Teachers should know the principle of no work no pay will apply for the period where effective teaching and learning did not take place.”
He warned educators that their participation in the illegal strike was viewed as ”wildcat”, unprotected action.
According to the Labour Relations Act and the collective agreement at the Bargaining Council by all unions, such strike action may lead to possible dismissal.
”The department will therefore not hesitate to take such drastic action to bring sanity to educators. We will not be held to ransom by educators whose primary responsibility is teaching and giving our learners quality education,” he said.
Mweli said the department would further take necessary disciplinary action against all those principals and their deputies
who failed to honour the invitation of a second meeting on Tuesday this week.
Another meeting will be scheduled next Wednesday to try and resolve challenges faced by educators in the area.
He cautioned that all means should be made in the interest of educating children in Khutsong.
”Our priority is giving children education they deserve, all other complaints should be handled elsewhere and not in the school yard,” he said.
He urged school educators and learners to go back to class and resume effective teaching and learning immediately. — Sapa