Cape public schools protest over contracts that got terminated
A number of public schools in Cape Town protested against the supposed loss of several contractor teachers in light of the mandate by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED)
Circular 34 enacted in April 2024, introduces new staffing
criteria to address budget cuts.
PICTURE: Pixabay ‘’Our greatest
concern is classrooms without teachers, and obviously a high and primary
schools faces different problems – primary schools has one teacher for all
subjects, but as a high school, where I am placed there is a teacher for
specific subjects. The loss of one teacher is like losing eight classes losing
a teacher. The greatest concern is that is not a 40-50 learners losing a teacher,
it is about 40 learners multiply by eight classes. It is intense at a high
school, because the concern is where do we find educators, so now you will have
teachers that are not even qualified in those subjects,’’ said Merica J, Grade
head at Steenberg High School.
‘’There is already a backlog of learning, and we are trying
to catch up with learning loses, but with this news it is going to be more
difficult to mitigate this situation we are in,’’ she added.
The teacher claims that the WCED has not come up with
solutions.
‘’I have not heard of any solution, even from other
educators I spoke to from other schools. We as a school are trying to come up
with various solutions, and the solutions will be taxing not just on the
educators but learners as well.
‘’I am a business studies teacher, so I have to reassure
parents that their child is getting quality education, encouraging parents to
support teachers and schools as well. It is a situation we as teachers do not
have control of. Also, support learners, because they too are worried about
what will happen to the subjects they have taken.’’
On the way forward, and the educator hopes that National
Treasury does not cut funding where the sector, she says, matters most.
‘’Education is key. From a teacher’s point of view, different
career paths are formed. I do not think education should be the sectors that
have a budget cut. The fruit of the labour is the doctors, engineer, we as
teachers pave the way for future leaders. I would recommend that government do
budget cuts in other sectors that are not ‘important,’’ said Merica J,
Steenberg high School grade head.
Other schools that protested includes, Rocklands high, and Glendale
high School in Mitchell’s Plain, amongst others.
In response to this, and the WCED said it currently faced a
R870 million deficit in the 2024/25 financial year, after the national
government announced major budget cuts that forced it to implement stringent
cost-containment measures.
‘’The WCG got 64% of funding to cover costs of increase, so
we have to foot the bill of the remaining budget, which leaves a huge pressure
on us as a department and covering salaries. We do not want to lose our 34 000
educators in our establishment, and we would like to keep it, but we also have
to make sure we have to build schools in the province, and accommodate learners,
and get curriculum advice programme and training for teachers, so children can
get the quality education they deserve,’’ said Bronagh Hammond, WCED
spokesperson.
‘’When you face such reality, it is difficult, because what
do you cut - we cannot transport, school feeding, etc. The moment we have taken
other measures to try to get educators paid,’’ she added.
With rumors that teachers have been retrenched, Hammond
says that this is not true.
‘’In November 2023, we informed schools that there would be
cost containment measures, so we ensured that we protected the post we do have,
unless the number dropped significantly. So we said to schools to convert contract
posts into permanent posts. There were a lot of consultations with SGBs,
principals, unions, etc, some schools did not fulfil those requirements, and
those are posts, as of 31 March, expired, but it does not mean that the post is
gone, we still needs to be filled, but like any other contract that if it has
not been extended, then it lapses, and that is what happened to some of these
schools.’’
Hammond says 3 100 educators had been appointed as
permanent through this process, and extended 2 000 posts, and a further 800 are
being processed for conversion and will be in effect from 1 May 2024.
‘’Those who applied for permanent posts, we are accelerating
those as fast as possible. Where a school did not convert those posts, they can
be in discussions with us, and many of these cases has been resolved in
schools.’’
When asked about what measures the provincial education
department has put in place, Hammond said
‘’We have to pay our salaries, but we also need to think of
how to pay our teachers, and that is the conversion of contract to permanent. Permanent
posts brings stability to the school, and educators getting pension, for
example. We are trying to save posts, and not decrease the basket. For
instance, we have frozen posts at head office, and that is happening across the
board.’’
The WCED spokesperson says that people are misunderstood
and misinformed about the matter.
‘’Do not believe all the things you have read, and see on
social media. I was left gob smacked by posts I saw. The thing is we have not
fired teachers, and if you feel otherwise, provide us with proof. Contracts
have not been terminated, no communication to schools to teachers, then we
should address that, but at the same time, we are trying to save teachers to
provide quality education. We certainly not cutting teachers in the system,
that is what we trying to protect,’’ said Bronagh Hammond, WCED spokesperson.
Done by: Mitchum George
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