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The IFP has taken note of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union
(Sadtu's) decision to advise its members not to assist school pupils with
recovery programmes during the September holidays, due to their latest spat
with government over wages.

"The IFP condemns in the strongest possible terms, Sadtu's decision to
abandon students nationwide in their hour of need. The IFP contends that the
ANC-aligned union continues to act as an organization hell-bent on
destroying the futures of our children. Instead of acting like responsible
educators, some members of Sadtu have on numerous occasions proven
themselves to be irresponsible, unprofessional and unfit to educate South
Africa's learners. Sadtu's recent meeting, arranged during school hours, is
a case in point," said Mr Alfred Mpontshane, the IFP's spokesperson on
Education today.

Mpontshane said that the IFP feared that the matric pass rate will be at its
lowest level since 1994, but that Government and its alliance partners will
only have themselves to blame, if indeed the results are poor.

"This situation is totally unacceptable. Especially if it is taken into
consideration that many students are only four weeks away from their final
examinations. Pupils are ill-prepared, not due to their own fault, but due
to the continuous squabbles between Government and the Unions. The recovery
programme must be implemented countrywide without delay, especially in
KwaZulu Natal where it appears that no such initiative has been rolled-out
at all," said Mpontshane.

Mpontshane called on Government to rein in Sadtu and its members and to find
a solution to this matter urgently.

"The message that Sadtu and the ANC are sending South Africans is that their
primary mission is not the welfare or the education of our children, but
that they are only concerned about their own fortunes. We want to see clear
direction and action from the Department of Education on this matter,
especially when the Minister had denied that Unions had linked the catch-up
programme with the no work, no pay policy," added Mpontshane.