31 May 2019
Att: Media / Educators / President Ramaphosa
The reappointment of Minister Angie Motshekga into basic education is a direct insult to the general education of South Africa. It clearly shows the promises made by President Ramaphosa pre the elections was nothing out of the ordinary – an elections campaign. The promise of efficient and capable leadership seems to mean the opposite as Ministers like Minister Motshekga have already been tried, tested and failed.
It is public knowledge that the standard and quality of our basic education system has fallen with the introduction of Minister Motshega in office. Today, learners in South Africa use a curriculum which sets them up for failure. Learners no longer fail, even if they get less than the 30% pass mark which is also a joke. It is under her leadership that teachers and learners are killed in schools. Teachers are neither safe nor happy under her leadership. Ordinarily, we would ask, “should someone die first before there is change.” But in this instance many have lost lives and President Ramaphosa seems to not care. He seems to not care about the collapsing education system of our country.
We know that this, besides putting his organisation before the country, is because all their children are in private schools where they follow an IEB curricular. Even the SADTU fearing Panyaza Lesufi would be a better option. Not that he is a saint himself. The Gauteng Education department is overwhelmed with complaints by teachers of bullying by SADTU Principals and District officials. We know that he ignores this because he is afraid of SADTU but also because he likes media attention. So with the media attention he would receive at national, we are certain that he would do better.
Equally, Minister Blade Mzimande should first account on the murder, arrest, suspension and expulsion of higher education students as a result of his call. His reappointment also shows a lack of seriousness on the President’s side when it comes to the education of South Africa. We call on President Ramaphosa to prioritise the future of South Africans in general by reconsidering this appointment. A third term of failure can never equal a new dawn.
ENOUGH WITH ANGIE MOTSHEKGA!
SHE HAS DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE. WE CANNOT SIT AND WITNESS ANOTHER 5 YEARS OF TEACHER-KILLINGS AND MISMANAGEMENT IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT!
Issued by the Educators Union of South Africa
Siphiwe Mpungose
General Secretary
+27 78 051 2577
www.eusaunion.co.za
F: Educators Union of SA
Twitter: @eusaunion