Molao needs to tamper excitement with knowledge

| Friday December 3, 2010 00:00

The recently elected political novice attacked unions in an uncalled for provocation.

Apparently, the MP and some of his colleagues do not know the role of trade unions in an organised labour environment.  The parliamentary debate is exposing some of our MPs as they demonstrate their lack of understanding as to what unionisation at the workplace is all about.  It is the duty of unions to educate its members.

The unions also exist to protect the working and living conditions of their members.  There are several strategies that are used by unions to improve their working and living conditions.  The comments by Molao, Masisi, Venson-Moitoi and Seakgosing that teachers abandoned the students during invigilation is extremely misleading.

Teachers realised that this was not their work and therefore they quit.  Some were tricked into invigilation.  The MPs who are shooting down Wynter Mmolotsi's motion on the commission of inquiry in the 2010 exams are now attacking unions and the leadership and even dragging them into the deep political quagmire.  The unions' only recourse is to respond  in kind!

The unions should by now have realised that it is just cheap talk to suggest to them that they should not be involved in politics.  If the politicians attack them; pass unfavourable laws, policies and decisions for teachers in parliament and cabinet, the only thing left for unions is to decide who goes to parliament.

What Manual Workers did in 2009 by decampaigning certain politicians is the way all unions have to adopt if they have to protect their members' working and living conditions.  Otherwise,  the unions will have characters like Molao in parliament playing to the gallery and making unproductive contributions.

The fact that public service organisations have recently unionised is still unbelievable and unacceptable to some government officials and MPs. The MPs have to familarise themselves with International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards and statutes so that they appreciate that what BOSETU and BTU and other public service trade unions are doing in Botswana is within the ambit of their rights as provided for by the United Nations Organisation and its agency (ILO).  Botswana is a member of the UNO and MPs are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these international standards and protocols provided therein.  Their websites are easily accessible.  The MPs will discover that advocacy and lobbying is part of the trade unions' legitimate activities and that unions can encourage their members to strike, demonstrate and even mount campaigns against employers or anyone who lowers their working and living conditions.

It is within their rights and responsibilities and they should not be seen as wayward as some MPs construe. 

Parliament is an honourable house and for some MPs to display so much ignorance and even digress is a waste of tax-payers' money and an embarrassment to the august house.  The Speaker of the National Assembly should crack the whip and even cut down the time of legislators who tend to go astray and petty on serious national issues. The Speaker has been doing her best in this debate, but is being derailed by some MPs who seem not to be honourable.

Tonota North MP alleged that the 2010 national examinations went smoothly and that there was no need for a commission of inquiry.  Hundreds of candidates in his constituency came out literally crying at Tlhalogang Junior Secondary School, in Borolong when they were forced to write an examination (Literature paper) that they had not prepared for.  At Chamabona junior in Mathangwane village, a candidate's completed answer sheet was found a day later after the examination had been written!  How many other students' papers were lost and went unreported?

Molao and Venson-Moitoi have repeatedly echoed sentiments to the effect that most of the blunders were done by experienced teachers.   BOSETU and BTU have long clarified that even under normal circumstances, not everyone is appointed to invigilate and those who invigilated during the 2010 exams would not have been allowed to invigilate under normal circumstances.  We hope those teachers who invigilated learnt a lesson as they are now subjects of sick parliamentary ridicule!  In future, they should heed union advice so that they don't get embarrassed.

Invigilation of national examinations is not the duty of teachers.  Teachers therefore did not abandon the students.  One abandons work that is meant for him or her. The comments by the MPs clearly demonstrate that some MPs are not sympathetic to the teachers' poor working conditions, which have been raised several times for many years. 

The ignorant MPs state that the union leaders have failed in negotiating and bargaining for their members.  What is also a painful reality is that parliament comprises of so many former teachers who are literally silent!  Judging by the current mess and crises, our education system now needs divine intervention because there is no credible leadership in the system, which is visionary!  A visionary leader should have long corrected the educational anomalies.

It should further be noted that teacher unions have interacted through various meetings with the Botswana Democratic Party than any other political party on the 2010 exam issues.  Even some School Heads representatives have also updated the BDP leadership.  But the BDP MPs have not taken the step that MP Mmolotsi took (to propose a motion on the commission of inquiry in the 2010 examinations), which by all reasonable standards is the most logical step forward.

The unions recently met the BDP labour committees twice and were given extensive notes on the status of the exams.  The most recent meeting was led by MPs Slumber Tsogwane, Moeng Pheto and Rayner Makosha.  The previous one was lead by Prince Kgwaneng and what Mmolotsi is raising in Parliament was also shared with the BDP MPs! Mmolotsi in fact came yesterday and as unions we embrace all MPs who need information on issues that will improve our education and teachers' condition of service.  Mmolotsi's motion will settle the matter.

As for Minister Venson-Moitoi, the only 'success' she has recorded since her appointment as Education Minister is the nation wide tour campaign on abolition of short sleeve shirts and her condemnation on the use of corporal punishment.  Teachers' working and living conditions are still bad.  The teachers and the general public should also attend parliament so that they appreciate the national debates.  These sessions will give everyone a good idea of who to vote for during the national elections.

Justin HunyepaBOSETU Executive Secretary