The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in KwaZulu-Natal is displeased with the budget that has been tabled by Finance MEC Francois Rodgers.
The union says the budget tabled yesterday does not adequately address the issue of the permanent employment of teachers.
The provincial education department is receiving the lion’s share with an allocation of R66.7 billion, which is an increase of R3.7 billion.
However, KZN SADTU Secretary Nomarashiya Caluza says the budget does not talk to the issue of permanent employment of teachers.
“The budget does not adequately address the current challenges and persisting ones that we have, the filling of educator posts or teacher posts both school and office based. Even with the employment of teacher assistants, it’s not filling the vacancies. That is why they will end up used as teachers when we have so many thousands of teachers that are unemployed.”
Caluza also pointed out that the budget is ignoring the plight of Grade R teachers and that this goes against the provisions of the contested Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.
“There is a BELA Act now which was passed last year which demands that Grade R practitioners be made permanent teachers and be appointed in terms of the Employment of Educators Act but there is no provision for that in his budget. It’s just silent on that critical matter which is talking to the lives of these Grade R practitioners who are aging in the system being paid peanuts and it’s not assisting even in strengthening that foundation phase of the department.”
