As we observe World Teachers Day the Inkatha Freedom Party urges government to improve security and working conditions for teachers.
“World Teachers’ Day is a special day to honour the teachers who play an essential role in our society. While we appreciate the events held to celebrate and honour their contributions in the teaching profession, flowers and praises are not enough. Teachers must be respected and have a sense of security when they are in the classroom.
Our teachers, who continue to endure shortage of resources, dismal working conditions in schools, lack of proper facilities and meagre benefits, deserve worthy compensation not just verbal accolades for their noble profession,” said IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Education, Mrs Thembeni Madlopha Mthethwa MPL.
“We must not only celebrate the importance of good teachers, but also recognise and address the many challenges and burdens facing them on a daily basis. On this day we call for improved safety measures at all our schools and the entrenchment of a culture of teaching and learning while protecting the rights of all teachers. We must break the vicious cycle of declining professional conditions for teachers in order to improve the quality of learning for all.
The Department of Education must also improve working conditions for rural teachers by building more science laboratories, libraries and improve access to digital technology,” continued Mrs Madlopha Mthethwa.
“We urge teachers to uphold their professional conduct by not resorting to things that are damaging the image of the education professions such as resorting to corporal punishment, sexual abuse of learners and engaging in corruption.
The Department of Education must also take a stance against disruptive learners in schools. We must not allow bullies to hold our schools to ransom. Learners who don’t want to learn must not come to schools and disrupt the learning process. Teachers must be protected from these classroom terrorists,” concluded Mrs Madlopha-Mthethwa.
Issued by:
Mrs Madlopha-Mthethwa
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Education
079 114 3015
