It was still not clear yesterday whether a march planned for this morning by members of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) would go ahead.
It was still not clear yesterday whether a march planned for this morning by members of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) would go ahead.
While a local Sadtu official, who spoke to Grocott's Mail on condition of anonymity earlier this week, told Grocott's Mail that teachers would be marching to the Department of Education district office today, Sadtu provincial deputy secretary, Nolitha Mboniswa, said they had no knowledge of any such action. She said Sadtu members in Grahamstown had agreed on a local programme and she didn't know whether this included a march today.
Mboniswa said the union was in conflict with the education department over the temporary teachers situation, which had crippled schools and left teachers overloaded.
Regarding the local Sadtu programme the local official, who said he was not allowed to talk to the media, said, "All I can say is that we have compiled a report and have sent it to the provincial office and hopefully they will give us a plan of action by Friday."
]Several principals told Grocott's Mail this week that they weren't aware of any planned teachers' march. However, one primary school principal, who asked to remain anonymous, said if it went ahead, it would disrupt classes.
"It's not a good thing so early in the year," the principal said.
