The National Teachers Union (NATU) is set to convene a seminar for school principals from all nine South African provinces to address critical issues in the education sector. The union aims to tackle unfavourable pupil-teacher ratios, improve resource allocation, and enhance school safety.
NATU wants to put more pressure on the provincial departments of Education to hire more teachers and address the unfavourable pupil-teacher ratio.
The union revealed that it will convene a seminar for school principals on 10 & 11 October 2024 to engage on critical issues that confront the education sector, including resource allocation, school safety, and e-Education.
In a statement, the union said that more than 1,200 school principals from all 9 provinces are expected to attend the seminar, which will take place at Imbizo Conference Centre, Empangeni. The event will be held under the theme 'Enhancing Quality Education through Strategic Resourcing that Prioritises Adequate Staffing, School Safety and Effective School Management'.
The seminar's primary intent is to address the current unfavourable learner-teacher ratios by, among other measures, putting pressure on the employer to employ more teachers to conform to the agreed Post Provisioning Norms (PPN).
Key issues to be discussed at the seminar include:
Improving the employment conditions and service of Grade R teachers, who currently face numerous injustices and employment challenges.
Normalising the funding framework for Grade R pupils across all Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) and addressing the exclusion of undocumented pupils from some PEDs' funding models. The union emphasises that most undocumented pupils are, in fact, South African citizens.
Enhancing school infrastructure, including the provision of adequate chairs, desks, classroom and laboratory spaces, libraries, learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), ablution facilities, and sanitary towel support.
Finding solutions to the perennial challenge of safety and security in schools.
Working to curb corrupt practices in the filling of promotional posts.
Addressing the unjustified reduction of promotional posts and opportunities due to so-called 'austerity measures'.
The Mercury