Teachers’ unions, Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) and Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) have urged teachers to remain calm against threats from the Ministry of Education to force teachers to invigilate and submit course work marks this year.
The ministry’s threats were delivered in the form of a savingram to regions late last month, in an effort to avoid last year’s catastrophe, when teachers stayed away from submitting course work marks.
A savingram authored by Miriam Maroba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Skills Development last month reads in part: “ We are writing to clarify the position of the ministry with regard to the conduct of coursework.
Coursework leading up to national assessment or otherwise, is part and parcel of teaching which all teachers are obliged to carryout. This aspect of the work of a teacher is clearly captured in their job effectiveness description.”
However, BTU and BOSETU have reacted in unison, dismissing the ministry’s threats as inconsequential as it violates the court order of 2009 when the trade unions got a ruling on this very same matter that resolved the impasse in favour of the trade unions and their members.
In their statement to members, the teachers unions say the Savingram by the Ministry of Basic education, was purporting to give guidance to the issue of coursework and its conduct and supervision in schools.
In the process, however, it, to a great extent, crosses the boundary that demarcates what should be the syllabus responsibility of the teacher vis a vis what falls outside of that responsibility. “ We here wish to emphasise to membership that, the matter has long been settled by Justice Mpaphi Phumaphi in 2009 in the case between BOSETU vs Director of Teaching Service Management (MAHFT-000013-09), when it was declared that supervision and invigilation of external examinations does not constitute the duties of teachers and they cannot as such be compelled to do the said duties”.
“The above Savingram is therefore, misplaced in its contents.
Further to this, it is running itself ahead of an on-going protracted negotiation process between the Ministry, BEC and teachers unions on the very same matter. This in our view is tantamount to negotiating in bad faith”.
The trade unions further say to this effect, a letter of demand has been written to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education to confirm if what she alludes to in the savingram regarding course work and its supervision as the responsibility of teachers is indeed the position of the ministry. The ministry has been given up to the 15th June 2023”, the statement concludes, adding that should push come to the shove, other avenues including approaching the courts will be pursued.
“Membership is therefore, advised not to panic in the wake of this development. Membership should remain resolute and know that no agreement has been reached for this year’s conduct and supervision of course work. Therefore, any intimidation should be rejected and reported to the unions," teachers were advised.
