Hlabano condemns student-teacher relationships

ONALENNA KELEBEILE
Staff Writer | Tuesday June 11, 2013 00:00

 

Speaking during Botswana Teachers Day celebrations here last Friday, Hlabano said there are disturbing reports that student-teacher affairs are on the increase. He said such reports, irrespective of how insignificant the numbers are is a serious indictment on the teaching profession.He added that teachers are employed to teach and guide learners on academic pursuits and extra-curricular activities and not to engage in adult bedroom antics with their charges. 'Educators who cross over the professional zone are enemies of the profession. Trade unions have pronounced their position in this regard; the law should take its course,' he stressed. Using an allegory to emphasise his point, he said tadpoles should be allowed to grow into frogs and flowers to blossom without being defaced by those who do not value them. He, however, said the law should not only deal with teachers but every adult engaged in sexual relationships with under age students.

Hlabano poured scorn on teachers for undermining their profession by introducing draconian methods of managing schools once promoted to management positions. 'We have not benefited from our fellow professionals whom we thought would understand the profession better than those from other professions,' he said. The BOSETU president regretted that teachers are always confronted by an avalanche of problems instigated by former colleagues in senior positions. He said that for the love of their profession, teachers will not accept the Biometric Times Attendance Clocking Machines in schools until the appropriate bargaining structure has resolved the matter. He said they have been told that one school has invested in purchasing such a machine worth P30,000. He said while the machines are meant to promote productivity in the workplace, they may stifle professional growth. 'We are saddened by this constriction of our democratic space in our institutions by failing to respect bargaining structures.

We, however, do not shy away from rescuing teachers who work under such environments and it would be advisable to restrain school heads from acquiring such expensive equipment that might never be used,' he warned. He advised that it would be prudent for government to pay teachers based on 26 working days instead of overtime. He said overtime pay is not sustainable and is proving difficult for school leaders to manage. He said currently, it is not unusual for say 10 teachers in a school to claim over P100,000 in a month in overtime pay. 'This is good money but it is a risk to the economy. The issue of overtime is not sustainable,' he said. He complained that some teachers are denied leave travel concession while on study leave which they are entitled to.He said it is surprising that while the law is clear on overtime, school heads now talk about contact time. 'Let us follow the law as it is, not to try to draft our own laws,' he said. He said some teachers have received letters of reprimand for failing to mark course work despite the fact that the mandate of assessment belongs to the Botswana Examination Council. He lamented that whenever teachers celebrate their day, another national event is held somewhere.

He cited this year's Excellence Awards' ceremony. He urged President Ian Khama to attend Teachers Day celebrations in future. When he stood to speak, Assistant Minister of Education, Patrick Masimolole said he was not going to respond to some of the things that Hlabano said.  'We have forums where we discuss and resolve these issues,' he said.