Governing bodies awarding teachers perks

The following statement was given by ACDP MP Rhoda Southgate in the House of Assembly on Friday 16 May 2003 on governing bodies awarding teachers perks:

Section 38A of the Education Laws Amendment Bill, goes against the principles of affording the parents at a school the right to have some say over who is employed, awarded and retained for their respective schools.

The government is once again showing it's hand as a tyrannical structure intent on establishing an undemocratic, draconian system into our schools which will stifle current positive initiatives by school governing bodies to improve access to quality education for all".

Teachers with years of service and higher levels of training and skills will leave government schools en masse and the profession of teaching will become even less attractive than it already is.

The ACDP feels the government is failing to pay good salaries to teachers in general and should not prevent governing bodies from trying to rectify the government's inefficiencies by rewarding additional benefits to teachers who perform outstanding work or are highly valued.

The government should be trying to get it's act together by providing teachers with competitive salaries and incentives instead of limiting the rights of school governing bodies to reward and retain it's good teachers.

It is completely unacceptable that for teachers, the only increment they receive is that which is made according to inflation, causing teachers with several years' experience are to be paid the same as new teachers fresh out of college.

The department should seriously look at it's approach towards governing bodies as it is alienating itself from the very people who put them in power to represent their concerns.

For further comment please call Rhoda Soutgate MP at 082 875 8194 or ACDP Parliamentary Media Liaison Charmaine Horne at 084 370 3550 or 021 403 3307