The ANC-aligned South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has expressed its willingness to engage the newly appointed Minister of Education, Siviwe Gwarube.
This despite outrage over the appointment of the DA member of parliament to be the department’s political head.
Sadtu, the largest union in the education sector, has always been rivals with the DA over the vision for the South African education system.
Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi told Sunday World that the conflict has always been over the party’s failure to recognise and acknowledge the colonisation of the education system in the country.
She said Sadtu is not pleased with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place the education department under the control of a party that failed to recognise that a black child is not benefiting as they should from the education system in its current standing.
Rough ride predicted
“We really would have appreciated the minister of education being from any other party but the DA,” Cembi said.
“They [the DA] have been pushing for this portfolio because their aim is to ensure that they will destabilise the union and shut down everything it stands for.
“It is unfortunate that the president finally gave them the portfolio, and we know we cannot expect much good.
“We will engage with the minister and hear what she brings to the table, but I am not sure it will be a smooth ride.”
Mugwena Maluleke, Sadtu’s general secretary, said Gwarube should not pretend that the union does not exist but acknowledge and work with it to deliver quality public education with no labour-related quarrels.
He said the DA has always been vocal that the ANC and Sadtu alliance is the cause of the failure of the education system.
“This deficit narrative is engrained and enmeshed in their propaganda and ideology,” said Maluleke.
“The union does not appoint any personnel to any institution, but just like all other unions, it observes the process to ensure a fair process in the best interest of our education and our communities.”
Protection of labour rights
He said the union sought to see better public education for everyone. This means that educators’ labour rights should be protected, as should their professional freedom.
Maluleke said while Sadtu has no choice as the minister has already been appointed, it could not accept what he describes as an arrogant and racist attitude from the DA to dictate to the president on how he should appoint ministers.
“The union will mobilise the masses to unmask the stereotypes that the DA employs to justify the entrenchment of the colonial education system, where the poor and working class must accept inferior status.
“The deficit narratives and framings of blaming the teachers and students for not working to be like their rich counterparts will be challenged and defeated.”
SADTU should take responsibility for the poor education in public schools as their members are very quick to abandon school children and embark on a protracted strike at the slightest disagreement with authorities. The unfortunate irony is that their members’ children are mostly attending private schools.