The Democratic Alliance (DA) is deeply concerned by the decision of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union’s (SADTU’s) Western Cape Provincial Executive Committee to reject the criteria used by the Western Cape Provincial Education Department (WCED) to select matric markers, and to reject the enforcement of performance contracts for principals and deputy principals in the Western Cape. At yesterday’s signing of two national skills accords, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Secretary General Zwelinzima Vavi committed COSATU, the Federation of Unions of South Africa and the National Council of Trade Unions to joining forces with government to improve education quality. SADTU Western Cape’s rejection of two vital measures set in place by the WCED to improve the standard of education offered to learners in the province flies in the face of these sentiments. COSATU should ensure that SADTU upholds the commitment expressed by Mr Vavi. Furthermore, the Zuma administration should end its practice of bowing to union pressure and take responsibility for ensuring that SADTU is no longer allowed to use the education of our country’s children as a political bargaining tool.

Despite signing an accord at the beginning of last year with the national Department of Basic Education (DBE) to commit themselves to improving the quality of public schooling, SADTU members have continued to jeopardise the education provided to South African learners; most notably through last year’s protracted strike. As the largest teachers’ union in the country, SADTU plays a major role in determining the quality of our education system. In the same way, SADTU’s determination to use the education of South African learners for political gain has the potential to bring the country’s national education system to a standstill.

The Zuma administration, whose position is compromised by the ANC’s alliance with COSATU, cannot allow union pressure to continue to hold hostage the implementation of programmes necessary for our country’s growth and development. Our country cannot afford for this administration to keep allowing SADTU to undermine attempts to improve the standard of public sector schooling.

Education is the best possible way for young South Africans to move out of poverty, access opportunity and build better lives for them and their families. If this administration is serious about tackling poverty and unemployment, and extending opportunity to all South Africans, it can no longer allow the actions of unions to jeopardise the right of South African children to access quality education.