BOSETU wants to run teachers day
Bonte Seepi | Monday August 24, 2015 15:27
He was speaking at the 19th annual conference in Palapye, under the theme: ‘Revitalizing BOSETU from Narrative to Practical Execution of Core Mandate’.
“Teachers Day is currently funded by the government, we want to change the mandate of Teachers’ Day. We want the government to let the union take over the Teachers’ Day and let us run it. We also want National Teachers Day and International Teachers’ Day to be converted into one. But if the government is reluctant in doing it, we can run it,” he said.
Modukanele also protested against the issue of making the education sector essential, he argued that there were few sectors that could be declared essential.
“Nobody dies if we do not teach and teaching can even continue even if we do not go to classrooms. We cannot allow this to happen because once education sector is made essential, we will lose our bargaining rights,” the BOSETU president said.
He also stated that BOSETU wanted to negotiate for coursework, marking and invigilating examinations. He said that they were told by the employer that negotiating for those was illegal. He therefore said they have stopped their members from doing such because it should also be deemed illegal. He however encouraged the employer to desist from the tendency of threatening, saying as a trade union , BOSETU shall continue to perform its functions.
For his part, Assistant Minister of Education and Skills DEvelopment, Moiseraele Goya told the Conference that his ministry required a high standard of performance on the part of education system to drive and facilitate the desired process of transition. He added that they were doing all within the ministry’s means to restore academic excellence in the public institutions.
“I know that for this to happen we need to ensure sufficient provision of resources, appropriate staffing and training to schools and regions. But the ministry is working tirelessly to ensure sufficient supply of teaching materials as well as well deployment of qualified and competent teachers,” Goya said.
However, Goya said that it must be noted that the presence of critical inputs dcould not guarantee improved learning outcome. He said it took passion and focus to put the limited resources at disposal to achieve intended results. Goya assured the union that his ministry would do its part to ensure healthy and harmonious working relations to take the education sector to another level.
The minister however informed BOSETU that even though they could not always agree with each other, they need each other in order to secure a better future for Batswana children.
In his welcoming remarks, Kgosi Masego Olebile observed that the struggle for workers rights came a long way. He said he had been a unionist at some stage too and encouraged BOSETU to wage a peaceful struggle for their members, as they always did. He applauded the union for having invited other unionists from across Southern Africa saying that was a sign of solidarity and cooperation among the unions.
Still at the conference, representatives from different political parties gave solidarity messages. Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South Ndaba Gaolathe represented Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) while Kgang Kgang represented Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Local unions, BOFEPUSO, BOPEU, BTU, BLLAWHU as well as ANTUSA family also gave solidarity messages. BOSETU choir, band and traditional troupe entertained at the event..
The event was graced by local and international dignitaries, among them village Kgosi, Goya, director of directorate of public service management, Ruth Maphorisa, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Richard Matlhare, ANTUSA family and representatives from local political parties.