No agreement on invigilation rates yet
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday September 6, 2016 15:30
The two parties met sometimes in winter at the sectoral bargaining forum to discuss this year’s payment structure for the two key components of the national examinations. However, to date no conclusive agreement was made, union representatives and education officials have said.
Botswana Teachers’ Union (BTU) secretary general, Agang Gabana told Mmegi that at the said meeting, teacher unions proposed a six percent increment from last year’s fees. In 2015, the two parties agreed on six percent increase that saw invigilation rate placed at P62.45 per hour, while practical work was P39. 50. In addition, preparation fees for practical subjects was P1,102.40.
“At the last meeting we had with the ministry, we proposed a six percent increment across the board, but the employer did not bring forth their budget. They were to seek a fresh mandate on the issue since no agreement was reached on our proposal, but we haven’t heard from them since,” Gabana explained.
He stressed that it was late for the two parties to have no agreement on paper and feared history will repeat itself.
“It is late. Practical work for subjects such as Home Economics, Agriculture, Design and Technology and others long started at the beginning of the year. The standard four attainment test is due in a few weeks’ time as well, so teachers should be engaged knowing well how they are going to be remunerated,” he said.
Contacted for a comment on the matter, assistant minister of education and skills development, Moesiraele Goya said the delay in reaching an agreement with trade unions was due to the fact that they were still in negotiations with cabinet.
“You will understand that every year the rates are increased from the previous examinations cycle; we are at a stage where we are seeking cabinet approval on the increment,” he said.
However, he could not be drawn into discussing whether or not the cabinet engagement will see his ministry meeting the unions’ proposed six percent increment.
“I cannot discuss the extent of the increment now as that will preempt the negotiations,” he added.
Moreover, Goya said his ministry was looking at a permanent solution to the coursework and invigilation matter to arrest annual discussions over rates.
In 2010 an examinations debacle between the unions and the MoESD ensued from lack of agreement between the parties over payment for practical work and invigilation rates. As a result, results were delayed and that caused troubles for students progressing to different grades.
This was subsequent to Justice Mpaphi Phumaphi’s 2009 court order in which coursework and invigilation were pronounced non-teaching core duties.