Implement teachers' right to withdraw labour - Keorapetse
Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday October 12, 2018 13:36
Speaking at a prize-giving ceremony at Lebogang Junior Secondary School this week, Keorapetse decried sour industrial relations between government and unions, added that issues such as teachers’ allowances, the 26 days issue and others related to their conditions of service depressed and killed teachers’ morale.
“If government can address the 26 days issue and implement the teachers’ right to withdraw their labour like other workforces, then it would prove that the President has delivered on his promises. However, do not despair and be discouraged. We will continue to pursue government to address these issues,” he said.
He also added that the reduction of the wage bill by five percent by government has drastically affected practical subjects in schools and called on government to rescind on its decision of not replacing support staff. He decried that government spent more on per capita yet the country’s outcomes are bad. He expressed the need for government to introspect on the matter.
Keorapetse further implored parents to support students and said students alone cannot make it.
He acknowledged the economic challenges that resulted in the declining academic performances around schools, but said it is crucial for parents to have a hand in their children’s schoolwork. He cited issues that deter a conducive learning environment such as the student- teacher ratio, shortage of classrooms, dilapidated infrastructure, lack of furniture and shortage of materials that are crucial in the education system.
He said in some areas, learners with disabilities cannot be separated from normal students.
He added that the mine’s closure has undoubtedly affected academic results in Selebi-Phikwe as parents are unemployed. He said this economic challenge has resulted in the decline of levies paid by parents in schools. He, however, said there is still time to continue challenging government to reopen the mine.
He noted that Anglo American has predicted that copper and nickel recorded huge sales compared to other commodities and the Australian Bank has also projected that copper and nickel prices would continue to perform well in the international markets.
He said all these highlights must strongly convince government to reopen the mine.
The school head, had earlier highlighted that though the school has been performing well, they experienced a decline in 2016 hence they have made a commitment to restore it to its normal performance levels.
She decried low parental involvement as evidenced by a low turnout at the prize-giving ceremony. She said the parents’ numbers are even unimpressive at PTA meetings, report collections, on payment of levies and even in other school activities.
She added that very few parents bother to visit the school to assess their children’s performance. “Parental involvement is the major challenge that can deter our efforts to improve our school’s academic performance. There is no way parents can take pride in the school if they are not involved and have a sense of ownership of the school,” she said.
She mentioned incidents of drug use by students and two dropouts as a result of pregnancy.