Johannesburg - The SA Democratic Teachers' Union is a beacon of hope, having made huge progress since apartheid when schools were “on fire”, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Thursday.
“(You are) a shining example of what happens when revolutionaries refuse to accept the status quo but choose to fight for a cause,” she told Sadtu's congress in Boksburg, on the East Rand.
“We have made progress towards universal coverage of school-going children... We have progressively worked towards eliminating mud schools and inappropriate school structures, replacing them with state-of-the-art buildings.”
Motshekga said she was glad the apartheid system had been replaced, and the focus was now on improving quality education.
She said South Africa needed a strong Sadtu, not a divided union.
“We must collectively work towards healing and maintaining a vibrant and united Sadtu. Our promise to Madiba's legacy is to protect the education system in South Africa.”
Sapa