By Obakeng Maje

Taung-South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in the province are calling for resignation of Department of Education MEC Louisa Mabe.

The Sadtu in the province accuse the MEC of ignoring their needs and claim the way MEC is running the department leaves more questions than answers.

Sadtu general secretary in the province Thabo Sematle vows that they will try all their level best to push the premier Thandi Modise and ANC in the province to heed to their call.

“We are sick and tired of the way MEC runs the department. There are lack of teachers and some teachers are not yet paid” he said.

Last month president Jacob Zuma announced that education will be trated as essential.

On wednesday the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) called on teachers, parents, learners and communities to unite behind quality public education as a basic human right. 

“As South Africa commemorates Human Rights Day on the 21st March 2013(yesterday), SADTU fully acknowledges that the key to quality public education lies on all key stakeholders working together” Sadtu said. 

“Education cannot be the responsibility of the teacher alone, we need to get the whole nation involved,” said SADTU’s General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke. “Education is indeed a human right because education reduces inequality in the society. It gives knowledge which makes one to be critical and therefore becomes an informed decision maker. It even improves one’s life expectancy.”  

Sematle said they haven’t approached premier and ANC yet about their call and will do so soon.

“We haven’t send a formal inquries to ANC North West and premier,but we will launch our grievances soon” Sematle said.

SADTU recently launched a campaign to promote quality public education. 

The Promotion of Quality Public Education Campaign calls on the learners to cooperate with the teachers in class, do their homework and respect. 

Parents are urged to support the learners with their school work and show general interest in their children’s education. Communities are called to look well after the school premises and to treat them as community property.

Business, churches and the youth are also targeted in this campaign. “We believe these sectors, more especially business, have skills and resources that they can share with education in bring about quality education,” Maluleke said. 

The decision to come up with such a campaign is in line with SADTU’s 2030 Vision’s strategic pillar of Creating a Learning Nation.

The national leadership of SADTU will soon embark on a nationwide information drive and the idea is to inform members, parents and communities about the initiative.  

*Our attempt to get Department of Education response proved futile before going to press.

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