SADTU uses intimidation to avoid writing exams

STATEMENT BY JAMES LORIMER MP, DA SHADOW DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION

Exams at primary schools in East London were again disrupted yesterday by intimidation by teachers belonging to the SADTU trade union. For the second day SADTU members assaulted representatives of schools who arrived at the education office to fetch exam scripts. One school called the police after SADTU members tore up scripts while children were trying to write.

These were the first exams written since education authorities reintroduced exams as a vital way of benchmarking education and of finding where problems exist so they can be fixed. As such these exams are an important reform of the system.

SADTU has put forward a number of not–very-credible reasons for its actions. I believe SADTU members are desperate to avoid the exams which will expose their failure to teach their classes properly. This was not helped by the disorganisation of the education department which failed to adequately prepare the ground for the exams.

The Eastern Cape Education department has reacted limply to the union violence and intimidation. The provincial head of department has merely given SADTU “one last chance”. Superintendent General Harry Nengwekhulu should understand that every chance he gives to SADTU means one less chance for the children he is supposed to be educating. This weak reaction demonstrates again how education authorities are in thrall to SADTU.

Quite obviously education will not be fixed while SADTU continues with its thuggish behaviour and while education authorities allow it to continue getting away with criminal and unacceptable activities. We have a stark choice in South Africa: SADTU or education – we cannot have both.

I will be asking parliamentary questions about the extent of SADTU’s disruptions in East London to obtain clarity as to what, if anything, Minister Angie Motshekga is going to do about it.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

James Lorimer MP – 083 677 6582

Melany Kühn – 078 887 7004