Rari Speaks As Education International At ILO Conference
Monday, June 19, 2017
“The Trade Disputes Act makes teachers and support staff within the teaching service, and almost the whole economy, an essential service, hence prohibiting them from resorting to a strike action,” said Tobakani Rari, General Secretary of the Botswana Sectors of Education Trade Unions (BOSETU), of the government’s harmful policy. “This undermines the bargaining power of teachers and support staff who are therefore at risk that their working conditions will deteriorate - which will also affect their morale.”
On June 14, Rari delivered a powerful message on behalf of Education International (EI) at the ILO Conference Committee on Application of Standards during the examination of the case against Botswana for violations of Convention 87. The BOSETU is an affiliate of EI.
It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...