Teachers Strike Outlawed

05 Feb 2013

South Africa has taken a tough line to maintain the normal functioning of schools and educational institutions in the country. Pretoria has outlawed strikes by teachers unions. The tough stand follows the ruling African National Congress resolve in the view that while teachers’ strikes might be no life threatening, they would be doing so at the cost of development of the country.

Already the recent matriculation examination had shown poor results, inviting much criticism from several quarters. Math and science subjects are said to be difficult for the students. Against such a deplorable situation, if the teachers, instead of coaching students, went ahead with their own trade unionism, it would further worsen the educational system.

The ANC general secretary, Gwede Mantashe, said: “If you disrupt education, though you are not threatening life and limb, you do threaten the growth and survival of society. Society must take education as an essential service. It must be difficult, almost impossible, to disrupt education.”

Tough words indeed, not heard ever before.  South Africa has to take such a position in regard to education because only literacy can rid the society of disease, poverty and other ills that plague the country. The move may antagonize trade unions, but even labor leaders may see the truth of it.