Human resource development starts with teachers — professional men and women who teach primary school children to read, to write and to do arithmetic and who engage with high school learners to become critical thinkers and problem solvers.
Teachers are building the foundation for South Africa’s future.
A weak foundation is inevitably linked to skills shortages and this means the country will continue to stumble on the path of growth.
On the flipside, a strong foundation holds endless exciting possibilities.
The role of teachers as human resource developers is critical as teachers’ unions and the government negotiate teachers’ salaries.
Teachers are important in the national skills project and this should be clearly acknowledged in the wage increases they receive.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel in his budget speech this year lit a candle of hope in teachers about their salaries.
He said: ‘Our teachers are the front line of our education system. It is in their hands that we place our 11-million children each day. In most cases, our teachers do a sterling job under difficult conditions. We pay tribute to them and we ask no more than that they continue to serve with dedication and integrity. We also know that a minority of teachers do not prepare their lessons adequately, are frequently late and are unfit to be in the position where they are asked to nurture our children. We cannot let the minority of teachers denigrate a profession based on love for children and a desire for learning and a commitment to a collaborative future.”
Manuel added: ‘Over the next three years, we are making available an additional R8,1-billion to hire additional teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in schools and districts and to improve the remuneration levels of teachers. The minister of education will lead the process of determining how these resources should be used, focusing on the need to reward good teachers, provide support to poor schools and improve the quality of schooling in general.”
There was a clear commitment to improve teachers’ salaries.
We can only hope that this commitment does not translate into the 6% the government’s negotiators have placed on the table.
Surely the government can do better?
We are all aware that the size of the teaching force means any increase has far-reaching budgetary implications. the Teacher wants to add its voice to those of other commentators who have suggested another look at the ‘Seta gravy train” where millions of rands are not spend optimally.
If the state negotiators were to receive all the SMSs the Teacher receives about salaries they may get an insight into the anger and the frustrations of ordinary teachers.
The anger and frustration is about their inability to afford houses and cars.
It is also about their working conditions.
One teacher wrote in to say he or she is paying about R1 500 a month towards petrol to teach in a remote area.
This sounds like commitment.
Many other teachers are also short-circuiting themselves to do their jobs.
Many teachers therefore feel they are taken for granted.
One way to show them they are not taken for granted is by offering them a decent increase.
This would mean a renewal of the social contract between the government and teachers.
Let’s be honest. Teachers are delivering more than just a service. They are not only delivering a curriculum. They are also delivering hope and growth.
They provide a value-added service to the nation.
In turn, they should be able to expect extra support to help them to meet their side of the agreement and develop the country’s human resources.
Over the years this contract has unravelled.
At this point more than goodwill will clearly be necessary to repair the contract between ordinary teachers and their employer.
Let’s start by looking at the 6% again.