Eastern Cape Education MEC Mahlubandile Qwase promised Eastern Cape Grade R teachers to address their grievances after their protest last Tuesday outside the Grahamstown City Hall.
Eastern Cape Education MEC Mahlubandile Qwase promised Eastern Cape Grade R teachers to address their grievances after their protest last Tuesday outside the Grahamstown City Hall.
About 50 Grade R teachers from Grahamstown, Port Alfred, Kenton-On-Sea, Port Elizabeth and the Transkei protested to draw Qwase’s attention to their plight.
Qwase was delivering a keynote address at the launch of the Quality Learning, Teaching and Foundation for Learning Campaign when the protest happened.
"After listening to our demands he [Qwase] explained to us that he would be meeting with chief directors on Thursday where he would announce a meeting for all stakeholders in Early Childhood Development," said member of the South African Democratic Teachers Union, Nokuzola Lukwe .
Kukwe said that Qwase used a similar approach to resolve a strike by Adult Basic Education and Training teachers earlier this year.
The teachers’ demands include a wage increase and permanent employment. They argue that some of them had been contract workers for seven years with their contracts renewed annually.
Lukwe said: "We want to be permanent so that we can obtain benefits. If they care about learners they should take good care of the teachers."
"We prepare future leaders for elementary schooling when they are still completely raw," said Nomfuneko Soxujwa, an irate teacher, "What we’re doing is right because we are ignored yet we’re at the doorstep of basic education."
