Education remains a basic human right. All children, black and white, rich and poor are entitled to access to this fundamental right in conducive environments for their full development. Townships and rural schools remain deplorable centres with an unacceptable situation of overcrowded classes.

It is unacceptable to have 205 learners in Grade 11E at St Patrick's Senior Secondary School in Libode in the Eastern Cape.

It is wrong to cram 78 learners in both Grades 7A and 8A at Ncura Senior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape.

The children of the poor and the working class are crammed in a class with 72 learners in Grade 10B at Lingelihle Senior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape.

The teachers in Magnolia Primary School in Paarl are confronted with 53 learners in Grade 3B every day.

Learning under such overcrowded conditions is robbing millions of township and rural learners access to quality education as teachers battle to give individual attention and support to these learners as they develop at their own individual pace.

SADTU has consistently raised the issue of the review of the current Post Provisioning Model with the aim of addressing the glaring challenges which deny township and rural schools more teachers. It must be highlighted that there is no class bigger than 30 learners at Former Model C schools.  We have tried in vain to raise this issue at the bargaining forum. The Department of Basic Education has shown no interest to engage on the matter. The ANC’s 53rd Congress in Mangaung in 2012 resolved to review the post provisioning model. However, we have seen no change on the ground.

SADTU’s National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to engage in different forms of action to raise the issue of the unfair treatment of the child of the poor and working class.

We are calling on parents and learners to join us as we call for an end to “mass meetings” classes in township and rural schools.

One of the actions SADTU will embark on will include pickets.

These pickets will begin at regional levels targeting Education District Offices from Friday, 9 until 13 May, 2016. These will culminate to pickets at all nine provincial offices between the 16th and 20th May, 2016.

A national picket will be held on 27 May, 2016 at the National Department of Basic Education in Pretoria.

The pickets will take place as follows in Gauteng:

Friday, 6 May 2016

• No.2 Robin Close, Infinity Office Park, Meyersdal

Monday, 9 May 2016

• No 78 Howard Avenue, Munpen Building, Benoni
• Cnr Human and Boshoff  Street, Krugersdorp
• Old Hebron College, Klipgat Rd, Mabopane

Tuesday, 10 May 2016:

• No. 142 Fourth Street, Parkmore, Sandton
• No. 86  Watermeyer Street, Val De Grace, Pretoria
• No. 265 President Towers, Pretorius Street,  Pretoria

Wednesday, 11 May 2016:

• No. 11 Northern Parkway, Crownwood Plaza, Ormonde
• No. 6 Samuel Street, Vanderbijlpark, Sebokeng
• Wonderboom Junction Shopping Mall, Cnr Lavender and Voortrekker Rds, Wonderboom
• Cnr.  Joubert and Kruger Avenue, Sanlam Building, Vereeniging
• Cnr.  2nd Avenue and 3rd Street, Old FNB Building, Springs.

Thursday, 19 May, 2016

• Gauteng Department of Education Offices, 100 Commissioner Street,                               Johannesburg.

We are calling on parents and students to join us when we call for an end to classes that are like mass meetings, in township and rural schools.

Contact:
Mugwena Maluleke, General Secretary, 082 783 2968
Nkosana Dolopi, Deputy General Secretary, 082 709 5651
Nomusa Cembi, Media Officer, 082 719 5157