Teachers demand permanent contracts
"We can't have a situation where teachers are claiming two salaries."
Representatives of Community Education and Training College’s lecturers hosted a media briefing at Ivory Park North Hall on May 5.
Enoc Mogawane said the briefing was to inform the media about their stance and a way forward, following Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s response regarding the permanent employment of educators of adult education and training, previously referred to as ABET.
“The minister violated Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act. In terms of secular 17 of 2015, these teachers should be permanently employed by the department of higher education and training,” he said.
“The minister insists on us being in an infant stage, regarding this sector, and an unrecognised structure. There are teachers who have been working in this sector for more than 10 years,” said one of the educators, Ms Kelebogile Mokale.
“Any employee who works for more than three months must be permanent,” said Mr Steven Khunou.
The teachers said they are disengaging and will withhold their services during the exams until their employment issues are attended to.
“Teaching and learning will not be affected for now, while we are deliberating on our way forward,” said Ms Mokale.
Director of media liaison in the Department of Higher Education and training, Mr Khanye Nkwanyana, said the teachers should have made inquiries with the department first.
“The information is no secret,” he said.
He said permanent employment of the teachers is part of the department’s long term plans.
Mr Nkwanyana said the department is still regularising teachers’ contracts and standardising payment across the country.
He said currently there are “moonlighting teachers” who have permanent employment in the basic education sector and also teaching in the adult education sector at night.
“We can’t have a situation where teachers are claiming two salaries,” he said.
He said those teachers will have to choose where they want to teach full time.
“The sector is now going to be formalised and known as community colleges, where different crucial skills like business acumen will be taught. Teachers will focus solely on the sector and will fill up those permanent vacancies.”
He said things like conditions of employment of the teachers and the process of skilling the teachers who can respond to those challenges are reviewed at a national level.
